Cruel Twists of Fate
by Bard of Prey
Summary: **COMPLETE** Max undergoes a Grand Mal seizure and is rendered comatose. A mysterious stranger with Manticore connections, a past she wishes to keep secret, and questionable alliances is the only one who can save her.
1. Boogey Man--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
  


Author's Note: I began this story before the end of the first season, and this is the universe in which it will remain. I enjoyed the first season more than the current one, anyway. So, this story takes place before the destruction of Manticore, before Lydecker is in limbo between being good and bad, and before the virus which keeps Max and Logan separated. It would just be too difficult for me to explain the plot line otherwise.   
  
In addition to this, I have rewritten and revamped the first few sections of the story. If you read them before, you may want to read them again. I'm older, and my style has grown and matured considerably. I appreciate any reviews, as long as they aren't flames! Constructive criticism is always appreciated. You're welcome to email me with any comments, and I will respond to you (eventually). Please let me know if you enjoy the three original characters I will be introducing. If you do, I might decide to write a few prequels/sequels to this story with them playing central roles. EG   
  


Now, I'll let you get to the story! Enjoy!  
Love always,  
Bethany  
Ottiga@aol.com  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  


  


**_2012_**  


  
_The fourteen-year-old kicked at the door in frustration. It was locked! She had work to do, and someone had locked her out of the lab! She could have spit nails. The graduate students were not fond of the teenager. Her IQ was close to twice their own, and she'd beaten them out of countless scholarships, grants, and funding. This was just one of the many things she had to endure. She steeled herself, remembering that anger never solved anything.  
  
She fished through her purse until she heard the familiar metallic tinkling of a key ring. With a sigh of relief, she produced the key to the chemistry lab. The professor had been kind enough to make a copy of it for his prize pupil and best teaching assistant. As she lifted her hand to the lock, she heard something in the shadows. Half turning, she looked up and down the empty alley. "Silly, there's nothing there. You're alone. Stop being so paranoid." She scolded in a joking tone which was betrayed by the slight fearful tremor in her voice. She may be a child prodigy, but she was still a child. The threat of a boogey man in the shadows of abandoned alleys had not yet disappeared with the coming of adulthood. It lingered, threatening to choke out her breath. With a shiver she could not conceal, she turned the key in the lock and rushed inside.  
  
Unknown to her, a young man stood in the shadows. He could not have been more than a few months older than her at the least. But, there was a maturity forced by years of pain and torment evident in his deep brown eyes. He checked his pocket, producing the switchknife he'd shoplifted earlier. This girl was rich. She advertised her wealth from the tailored cut of her clothes to the designer tennis shoes. She *had* to have a lot of money on her. Money he needed.  
  
Flicking the blade open, the boy held it up to catch a few stray beams of light. It glinted like silver in the darkness. A hint of a smile played at his lips. Tonight, he would leave no witnesses. That was just too risky. He'd been taught, no trained, to kill. Tonight, he would put his training to good use.  
  
_

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The teenage girl worked tirelessly for three hours, taking samples, running tests, recording results, and beginning again. Her work was never done, but unlike many, she enjoyed the rigorous hours spent in a lab. When she worked, she didn't linger on the fevered thoughts which so often entered her young mind. Instead, the work took every ounce of her concentration. Unless, her mind was to wander, as it was now.   
  
With a silent curse, she watched the test tube she'd been holding crash to the linoleum floor. "That's what you get for thinking about your father on the job." She muttered, searching for a dust pan to clean up the glass. When the lab was again spotless, she decided it might be wise to return home. She was getting tired, and when she was tired, she made mistakes.  
  
During the course of her work, she'd forgotten about the incident in the alley. It was only paranoia on her part, nothing more. There was no such thing as a boogey man. And, even with the state of post-pulse Seattle she didn't feel threatened. Why should she?  
  
Stepping out into the dark Seattle night, she took a few deep breaths of air and turned to re-lock the door. A sound. The same sound which had incited such fear in her a few hours before. Then, a movement. A flash of black upon black in the corner of her eye. She whirled to face the flurry of movement, but instead found herself locked in a tight embrace.  
  
One strong arm encircled her neck, squeezing her until she thought her windpipe might collapse. She felt his grip loosen for a moment. Another sound, this one slightly metallic. Then, she saw the glint of a steel blade. She tried to call out, to stop him. But, before she could utter even a gasp of surprise, the cold blade sliced into the fine skin of her neck and a warm stream of hot blood mingled with the tempered steel.  
  


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	2. Window of Oppurtunity--2020, 8 years lat...

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_8 years later  
_**  


She pulled the tattered photo from the lining of her purse. Delicately, she rubbed her fingers along the once glossy photo finish. It was long worn away by now.   
  
Time had taken its toll on the picture, but the man in the center of the photograph was still just as clear as when it was first developed. Still just as handsome, still just as gone. With a sigh of pain, she slipped the photo back into its hiding place in her purse. She had no time to dwell on the past.   
  


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Dr. Loren Davis pushed through the hospital doors wearily. "Another day, another ulcer." She said wryly in response to a few hellos from orderlies and nurses. They were accustomed to such greetings. Dr. Davis always appeared haggard, overworked, and unhappy. She looked like a walking advertisement for depression.  
  
"Hi, Dr. Davis," One young candy-striper greeted, bouncing up to block the doctor's way. "There's some *man* in your office." She explained with the air of a tattling, younger sister and a conspiratorial wink.  
  
The doctor frowned. A man? In *her* office? "Oh? Well, I guess I'll have to go see him then, won't I?" Lori asked, side stepping the young woman. Without so much as a 'thank you', she was gone down the hallway to her office.   
  
"Humph." The candy-striper snorted. "Some people are just rude." She remarked turning back to the flower arrangement she was to deliver to an old woman in a room down the hall.  
  
Lori hesitated outside her office door. She'd realized half way there who it must be. He was the only person who would dare to arrive unannounced. He was the only person she really didn't want to see right now. Of course, there was no where to hide. With a sigh of surrender, she stepped through the door. "Good morning, Mr. Lydecker, I was told you were in my office. Do you wish to speak with me about something?"  
  
The man turned in his chair to face her as she entered. He looked as if he was about to say something, but instead turned back towards her desk. "Yes, Dr. Davis, I did want to speak with you."   
  
Lydecker paused as Lori turned around and rearranged the texts on her book shelf. Her hands were shaking. With an imperceptible gritting of her teeth, she turned around. "Go on, I'm listening." As if to illustrate this point, she seated herself behind her desk.  
  
"Why are you wasting your time in a hell hole like this, Doctor? You could do *so* much better." The man continued.  
  
Lori frowned, she'd never taken compliments well. "Now, we get to the ass kissing." She broke in with a displeased smile. Her voice raised a few octaves, easily drifting through the doors to those waiting outside. "One never compliments someone else by making sweeping lies unless they want something. Out with it, Deck." Her voice had not completely lost the friendly, businesslike tone. Although, now it cut with an angry edge.  
  
Lydecker blinked for a moment. He wasn't used to being treated like an imbecile, and he didn't particularly like it. But, he couldn't afford to make her any angrier. "Manticore needs your help, Lori. I should think that considering your family's involvement..."  
  
"You mean *you* want my help. Manticore doesn't want me, not after everything I've done. Anyway, what gives you the impression that I'd want to work for you? My family's dead, Deck. They've been dead for a while now. I don't owe *anything* to them. And, I don't owe *anything* to you either. Nothing." She took a moment to calm herself, her voice lowering back to a more even volume. "Besides, there are rumors about what you do at Manticore. My name is not Frankenstein, I do not fancy myself a God. I don't want to create life, I want to aid those already living. So, if you would excuse me..." She stood and stepped to her door. She wanted, *needed* to cut this meeting short.  
  
"I won't give up that easily, Lori." Lydecker interrupted her. "You can't give up on a family legacy that easily."  
  
Lori turned around, her brow furrowed. "I'll send a security guard in to escort you out of the building. If you bother me again, I'll get a restraining order. I'm not interested in you or your little games. They're your problem, not mine. If you're so eager to find those little snots, you better go look somewhere else. I'm not interested."   
  
She stepped out the door quickly and walked straight into the bathroom to hide. Lori locked herself in a handicapped stall, slowly sliding down the wall until she was seated on the floor. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the cold tiles. What was she doing? Was it wise? Was any of this wise? Lydecker wanted those X5s and for some reason, he thought she knew where they were. If only. All her problems might be solved if she only knew *where* they were. She had searched every database. Every file. Nothing. It was as if they'd all disappeared. Occasionally, some Urban legend about some 'super girl' would reach her ears long after the events transpired. She knew for a fact that there was an X5 in Seattle. She just didn't know who it was, or what it looked like.  
  


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_

Max parked her motorcycle near the tiny booth in Chinatown. She gave a sidelong glance at a group of punks with multi-colored hair set in spikes. They didn't look like they'd be trouble. Good. She didn't want trouble right now. Her bottle of Tryptophan was almost out. It was time to get a refill. "Do you have what I ordered?" She asked the young Asian woman perched inside the booth.  
  
"Yes, yes. I have pills you order. Wait." The woman bent down, moved a few bottles around, and finally produced the one she was looking for, the one the man had told her to use. "Here. Here pills you order. Money." She held out her hand expectantly.  
  
Max slapped the wad of bills on the counter. She should have just stolen them, saved herself a couple weeks' pay. But, the last time she'd done that, she'd gotten caught. She was feeling just bad enough right now, that getting caught again wasn't out of the question. And, as she'd already decided, she didn't want any trouble today. "Thanks." She muttered. Mounting her motorcycle for the ride home.   
  
A wave of dizziness washed over her, culminating in a terrible headache at the base of her skull. Max sighed, noticing the slight tremor in her hands. She knew what would come next. Maybe she could cut it off at the pass. She opened the bottle of Tryptophan and downed a few pills dry. She was in such a hurry, that she didn't notice the lack of seal on the bottle.  
  


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_

Lori paused outside the hospital cafeteria. She was hungry, but she wasn't eager to eat. After all, when she ate, she thought; when she thought, she thought of *him;* when she thought of *him*... She shivered and turned away. Not today. She'd wait and eat when she got home. R.X. would be happy for the company.  
  
A slight vibration at her hip threw her off balance. Hesitantly, she glanced at the number on her beeper. Her blood ran cold. She knew that code. Lori bolted back to her office, never noticing the strange looks she got from the hospital personnel. She pressed speed dial and waited anxiously for an answer.  
  
The phone was picked up on the first ring. "Lori?"  
  
"Yeah, R.X., I got your message. What have you got for me?"  
  
The teenage boy paused. "We're out of milk."  
  
"What?" She dropped the pencil she'd been fingering. What was he talking about?  
  
"Milk. We're out of it. I was hoping you could pick some up on the way home. You know I can't get to sleep without a glass of warm milk. So, you'll get some right?"  
  
Lori stared at the receiver in annoyance. What was he doing? That code was only supposed to be used if one of the...."Milk!" She suddenly realized what he was hinting at.  
  
"Yep, Milk. Just don't forget, okay? It's an emergency." R.X. paused, "Lori?" She'd already hung up.  
  


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Lori was trying to move quickly, but not too quickly to the E.R. RX was a paranoid conspiracy nut, but you had to love the screw ball. And, he'd found her what she wanted. One of them was in the building now. It was almost too much to hope for.   
She took a deep breath and then rounded the corner of the ER.  
  
She paused in front of the assignment board and headed off to one of the small cubicles. The girl on the hospital bed was beautiful, even in her state. Two doctors hovered above her.  
  
"Lori? What are you doing here?" Dr. Bhakta asked his speech slightly slurred from an East Indian accent.  
  
"I heard you had a seizure case down here. I wanted to take a look."  
  
"Isn't this a little out of you field?" Dr. Sporelli asked skeptically.  
  
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to take a look. Does it?"  
  
Neither doctor could respond to this. They didn't want to upset her. She carried too much power in the hospital. "Be my guest." Both doctors exited while casting dirty looks in her direction.  
  
Lori turned to watch them go. When the curtain was again tightly closed, she moved to the side of the bed and lifted the girl's hair. The barcode was clearly visible. She stepped out of the cubicle quickly, moving to one of the nurses. "Becky, I need some transfer orders."  
  
"Transfer orders?"  
  
"The girl over there with the seizures doesn't have insurance, we're going to have to send her to the clinic."  
  
"Poor girl, she'll be lucky to live long if she's forced to go to the clinic. Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. The sooner we get her there the better. I want to request Eddie to drive, too, if that's okay."  
  
Becky looked up from the paperwork she was now quickly trying to finish. "It won't be any trouble. Nobody ever wants Eddie, he's a little cuckoo." She illustrated this by turning one finger in a circle by her right temple.  
  
The paperwork took an incredibly long time. Lori was growing impatient and nervous with every passing second. If she knew one of the Manticore kids was here, Lydecker would know soon, too. She wanted this girl gone by then. When the papers were finally drawn up, she helped Eddie move her patient to the waiting ambulance.   
  
Lori pulled Eddie aside in front of the vehicle. "I don't want to take her to the clinic like I said. We're taking her back to my place." She slipped a wad of green bills into his hand.   
  
Eddie winked. "I get it doc. A lot of you guys are using these people for experiments now. I've taken probably ten to different doctor's pads. I won't tell a soul."  
  
"Good, Eddie. Good." Lori remarked absently.  
  


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Max was only slightly aware of the happenings around her. The seizure was bad this time. Even the Tryptophan she'd just purchased hadn't helped. The last thing she remembered was losing her balance. She and her motorcycle had tumbled onto the side of the road. There were shouts, sirens.  
  
She had been a little aware of the ambulance that had brought her to the hospital, conscious of her worries of exposure. Now, she was almost positive she was being moved again. But where? A fear spread through her, icy cold. Did Manticore have her? If they did, what then? She couldn't escape like this.  
  
"It's okay, 'Mam. You'll be in my house soon. Lydecker can't get to you there. Manticore won't dare bother you if you're with me. I know I can help you. You're genetic deficiency...I've worked with it before. I'll help you." Lori whispered into Max's ear. Finally, she had one of them. Things were suddenly looking up.  
  


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If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  



	3. Remorse--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2012  
_**  


_As the blade bit into the flesh of her neck, the girl was struck by a wave of pain. It turned her vision white and threatened to steal her consciousness. She wouldn't let it. She couldn't let it. Twisting ever so slightly in the boy's arms, she found herself staring into his face.  
  
The boy stopped, his knife hovering millimeters from a major artery. For a moment in time, he was frozen. He held his breath as he stared into those deep blue pools. She wasn't the first person he'd mugged, although she was the first he'd decided to kill. He'd enjoyed the looks of fear and anger in the faces of those he robbed. It made him feel powerful, the way he was made to feel. Now, in the wake of those eyes, he felt powerless.  
  
There was no terror or fury swimming in those aqua orbs, but something else entirely. They were other emotions, most he'd never seen before. There was pity for a soul so lost that it had to resort to murder and robbery to survive; there was disappointment, as if he alone had shattered her innocence and thrown her into the dark abyss of evil dwelling in the post-pulse society; then, there was the most painful emotion of them all, forgiveness. Even though she knew she was standing at the brink of death, she was willing to forgive him.   
  
The boy dropped the knife with a clatter onto the pavement. He swallowed hard, bringing his arms from their strangle hold to a place around her waist. With a gentility he did not know he possessed, he lowered her to the ground. The blood was beginning to flow more quickly from the cut he'd made before she'd stopped him with nothing but a glance. His hands shaking uncontrollably, he pulled his shirt off and pressed it against the now spurting blood. The girl brought one pale hand up to hold it in place, her gaze still fixed upon him questioningly.  
  
He could feel something welling up in his eyes. Tears. Had he ever cried before? Most likely not. His hand lingered on her own for a moment before he bent down even further. Carefully, he placed his lips next to her ear. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry."   
  
A breeze funneled through the alley, blowing his medium length black hair away from his shoulders. The last thing the girl saw before losing consciousness was a bar code tatooed plainly on the nape of his neck.   
_

  
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_He tried to run, to flee. But, a few blocks from the scene, he was forced to stop. What had he done? He should have just finished the job. At least then her death would have been quick. Now, she was going to die slowly from blood less...unless someone found her. His gaze shifted to a telephone booth a few feet from where he was now standing.   
  
Should he? He had been trained not to care. He'd been trained to kill without remorse. But, even genetically engineered human beings had souls. Perhaps it had just taken him longer to find his own. Resolutely, he crossed the short distance to the phone, deposited his last quarter, and placed the call.  
  
"Seattle PD."  
  
"I found a girl. She's been hurt pretty bad. She's behind the U of W chem lab. I think she was mugged. You might want to hurry. She won't last much longer."  
  
"Is she conscious?"  
  
"I...I don't know. She wasn't when I left..."  
  
"You need to go back to her, Sir. Keep an eye on her until the police arrive."  
  
"I...I can't do that."   
  
"It might be a matter of life and death." A pause. "I've dispatched an ambulance. They should be there soon."  
  
The boy replaced the receiver into its cradle and stared at it in confusion. Go back? He was supposed to go back? How could he? They'd catch him. They'd realize *he* inflicted those wounds. He just couldn't do it. Not even for her. Still...those eyes remained etched on his soul, haunting him.  
  
He finally decided to double back and watch from a distance. As long as she was all right, that was all that mattered.   
_

  
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If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  



	4. Nightmare--2020

**Cruel Twists of Fate  
_2020  
_**  


  
Lori looked down at her handiwork with a satisfied smile. Her new X5 patient was now hooked up to several monitoring devices. She was safe, for the moment anyway.  
  
"Hey babe." RX greeted as he bounced into the room.  
  
Lori looked up at her ward with a smile. The young teen was the only one in the world who could pull her from the depths of depression whenever her mind wandered to *him*.   
He was the only ray of sunshine not blotted out by the clouds Manticore had so mercilessly placed into her life.  
  
RX was thirteen. He'd been a problem child when he was younger. In fact, he owed his present position to Lori. She'd been trying to speak with a judge when she'd first seen him. He was lucky she'd been viewing the judge's trials that day, or he would have been in a detention center. She'd heard his case, and during the recess, persuaded the judge to assign him community service.   
  
RX had no one. His parents had abandoned him shortly after the pulse, and he was lucky to still be alive. So, it only seemed natural that he should come live with her. The adoption had been legalized a little less than a year ago. Now, as she watched him, he reminded her of another foster child she'd lived known. Her mouth dried and she forced down the tears.  
  
RX walked over to the bed. "So, this is her?" He questioned. "She's hot!"  
  
Lori suppressed a laugh. "I hate to burst your prepubescent bubble but I think she's outta your league."  
  
"I know, I know. A genetically altered killing machine." He looked at her again and grinned evilly. "But what a way to go!" He dodged a paper cup thrown at him by his foster parent.   
  
"Is your presence here purely to annoy me, or do you have ulterior motives?"  
  
"I found out who she is." He stated, his eyes drifting down to the hospital gown Lori had dressed the woman in.  
  
Lori frowned, walking over to pull the sheet up past the woman's breasts. RX looked up with crimson cheeks and embarrassment plain on his face. It took great control to hold back laughter. "Don't keep me in suspense you little pervert, who she is?"  
  
"Max Guevara, messenger for Jam Pony. You know, that delivery service. I can't find out that much about her. She's clean, a little *too* clean if you catch my meaning."  
  
"What do expect, RX? She's an X5! Manticore isn't going to give up until either they're destroyed or the X5s are 'home.' She has to be *too* clean or she'd be back in the training program. I'm sure most of them would rather die than go back there..." Lori sighed, turning away. She'd gotten a little too personal. She was surprised to feel a hand gently placed on her shoulder. When she turned, she was even more surprised by the tender hug RX offered.  
  
"Listen, Lori. I know you got a whole hell of a lot of hurt inside. Damn girl, if you won't tell *me* why this is so important to you, it must be bad. But...you're the closet thing to a family I got. I know I can't make any of it go away, but you ain't ever alone. All right?"  
  
Lori stared into the boy's face. She knew he was only trying to help. But, somehow, it only reminded her of the pain she tried to bury. "Hey, buddy, you and me *are* family. Don't forget that. As for me and my mood swings, don't worry about it. I'm just *way* too emotional for my own good. We both know that."  
  
RX laughed and nodded. "Got that right." He paused, still examining her face. "You look tired. Why don't you let me watch Sleeping Beauty while you go get some rest?"  
  
Lori hesitated, glancing in Max's direction.  
  
The boy sighed. "Will you trust me for once?! I'm not going to *do* anything. Give me some credit here, Lori. I'll just read or something. I can bring my laptop in. I won't touch her..." He crossed his heart with a finger.  
  
Lori sighed. She had to admit, she was tired. "All right, but you better be telling me the truth. I have eyes everywhere young man. You know what happens when you misbehave."  
  
RX grimaced. "Do I ever! Just me and the geriatrics wing of the hospital. Bedpans and diapers everywhere. It's enough to make Charles Manson behave."  
  


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_

The road itself was darker than night was supposed to be. It seemed to summon the evils of the shadows around him as he slipped into the telephone booth. He shivered against an imaginary cold and forced his fingers to press the proper keys. The phone rang twice.  
  
"Hello, Dr. Davis here." She sounded as if she was trying to mask her weariness. He couldn't help but smile. He could picture her trying to change as she answered the phone. No doubt she thought it was the hospital.  
  
"Lori."  
  
"Oh my God!"   
  
She no longer sounded tired. Instead, he could hear a worry in her voice which made tears spring to his eyes. "The prodigal son, no?"  
  
"What...Where are you?"  
  
"They're on to me, Loren. I don't know how much longer I can run."  
  
"Then come home for God's sake." Her voice shook with emotion. "You swore you'd come home. You promised me you wouldn't get yourself killed. Dammit! I'm not going to let you die. You can't! We don't have to stay in Seattle. We can leave. We can go anywhere you want. Just come home, please!"  
  
He distinctly heard a sob. "I can't, not yet."  
  
"But, if they catch you..." Her voice cracked.  
  
"I'll deal with it. What's the worst they can do, kill me?" He laughed wryly.  
  
"It's not funny. You don't know what they'll do to you. It could be..." Again her voice cracked.   
  
"I love you, Lori. You have to know that. I love you more than anything in this world. You remember that Orpheus story you read me?"  
  
"Yes." She answered softly.  
  
"He went to Underworld to get his wife back, didn't he? Well, I'd be more than willing to do that for you. I'd go to Hell and back for one night with you Lori, you have to know that."  
  
She sobbed again. "I love you, too. But, honey, Orpheus didn't get his wife back. He lost her." Lori paused, her throat clenching. There was no sound from the other end of the phone, only silence. The silence continued into eternity. His voice was no more.  


  
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_

Lori awoke with a start. The bed, as well as her clothes, were soaked through with sweat. The dream! God, how she hated that dream. She rolled onto her side, curling her knees up into a fetal position. She hadn't let herself cry in a long time. She'd always convinced herself that he could still be alive. Now however, two years after the phone call, she knew it was all a vague fantasy. He was gone. Utterly, completely. But, she also knew she couldn't dwell on it any longer.  
  
He would be so ashamed of her if he saw her now. She sighed wearily, pushing herself from the bed, she walked into the bathroom. The fluorescent lights made the room seem brighter. Slowly, she brought one hand up and pushed down the high neck of her shirt. Her fingers touched the scar, still deep and noticeable. A scar which ran halfway across her throat, and stopped millimeters from a major artery.  


  
_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
_  


His world was a cold, empty sea of blackness. He could not see; he could not move; and he wished he could not hear. If he strained against the eternal din of noise in his ears, he could hear the sound of monitoring equipment and the mumble of voices. However, he did not strain often. Even with the attempt, the recorded voice was constant. He knew what they were trying to do. He knew what they hoped to accomplish. He would not let them. Every time the words broke through his brain's defenses, he pictured her face. This renewed his strength and resolve to fight.  
  
It had been *so* long. He'd resisted for such a long time. Nothing they did could break through the wall he'd built around himself. But, slowly, that wall was eroding with time. As each second passed, he knew any hope of escaping was more and more impossible.  
  
"He's not responding to treatment correctly. It's been too long, they're losing patience."  
  
"He'll come around. No one can resist the procedures forever, not even him. Give him time. When he's ready, he'll be our most powerful ally."  
  
Despite his resolve to fight, the recording was beginning to have an effect. Soon he would be nothing more than what he was created for, death personified.  
  



	5. Memory--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
_2012_  
_  
_

  
Lori drifted in and out of consciousness as the blood continued to spill from the wound in her neck. Her thoughts were becoming skewed, memories mixing together to fill her mind. All of them were spurred by her momentary glimpse of her attacker's neck. The barcode was a catalyst to a million long forgotten events in her youth.  
  


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Six.  
  
"Daddy, what's Manticore?"  
  
"It's a research facility, Honey."  
  
"Why does the defense department want it?"  
  
"Because the research has to do with our country's defenses."  
  
"Why are you working there?"  
  
"Because I work for the defense department, and they want a military liaison."  
  
"Oh."  
  


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Ten, searching through files in her father's study. What was she looking for? Oh yes...It was a paper she'd written for her 'governess'. She'd asked her father to read it. Where was it? Oops!  
  
A stack of papers fell to the floor. She dropped to her knees to pick them up.   
  
Pictures of children. Why did her father have pictures of children? She flipped through them. They were younger than her by a couple of years. There was an X5 written in the top corner. X5? One picture showed the back of one girl's neck...a barcode, 332960073452.   
  


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"Father, what kind of research does Manticore do?" Eleven now, catching onto the lies her father was trying to tell.   
  
"Honey, don't worry about it."  
  
"Don't! Don't tell me there's nothing going on. I want to know! Why do you have pictures of children? Why are they marked like produce with barcodes? Why are their head's shaved bald? What's an X5?"  
  
"You don't want to know, Lori."  
  
"I do! And, if you don't tell me I'll find out on my own."  
  
He grabbed her shoulders, shoved her back against the study wall. "You leave it alone, do you hear me, Lori! Never mention this again, to anyone! Never talk about Manticore, or my job, or those children! Ever!"  
  


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Twelve.  
  
Back in her father's study. Looking for answers this time. Answers to her questions. What is Manticore, really? Why was her father so rabid about her leaving it alone?  
  
His computer? Perhaps there was an answer there. Sitting down. Booting up. Passwords. Always her birthday. No brainer.  
  
Searching files. What was this? One marked with her mother's name? Recorded phone conversations, health reports, pictures. What did it all mean? Did she really want to know?  
  


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Twelve.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me, Father?"  
  
"Tell you what?"  
  
"About those children. Those...those horrible men making them into monsters. How could you do it? How could you torture children?"  
  
Wide eyes, fear on her father's face. "I told you to leave it alone, Lori."  
  
"Why? Why are you afraid? Maybe its because of what you did? Maybe its because of what you did with Dr. Sandeman. Were you ever going to tell me...tell Mother?"  
  
He was shaking now. "You...I can explain."  
  
"Save it. I don't care."  
  


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That night. Reading in her room. Phone rings.  
  
"Hello?" Her mother answered it in the hallway. A scream...a sob. Her bedroom door opens. "Lori, honey, your father....He committed suicide. He's...He's dead."  
  


  
Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  



	6. Tension in the Ranks--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
_2020_  


  
Logan was beginning to get worried. Max wasn't answering her beeper, which alone wasn't all that peculiar. But, as far as he knew, he'd done nothing to upset her recently. He'd certainly done nothing to justify getting the cold shoulder like this. It wasn't until later in the day, when he braved calling Jam Pony to inquire as to her whereabouts, that he realized something was wrong.  
  
"No, I don't have any idea where Max is. If *you* do, you better tell her to get in here. I'm trying to run a delivery service, and that doesn't work if there are no people to deliver anything!" Normal replied in agitation. "All right you guys, this is a place of business not some coffee shop. Get to work! Bip bip!" He yelled with the phone held further away from his face.  
  
Logan hung up the phone feeling less sure about Max's well being. It was true that she wasn't the best employee at Jam Pony, sometimes she missed more days than was fair. But, not only was she absent from work, she was also unresponsive to his emergency messages to her beeper.   
  
It looked like he was going to have to put some of his computer skills to good use. Wheeling back to his computer terminal, he began the arduous task of searching for Max's trail in a sea of binary nonsense.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lori spent most of the morning locked in her room. She was in no mood for interruptions. Even the thought of her patient's health wasn't enough to draw her out.   
  
It was the first time in two years she'd really sat down to think about her current situation and the events of the past decade. Her life hadn't been the same since that dark night outside her lab when she'd been attacked. A shiver crept up her spine. Funny really, to think that a mugging eight years ago could have such a profound effect on the rest of her life.   
  
The scar itself had caused a change in her wardrobe. High collars, turtle necks, scarves, and chokers were now commonplace. She really had no choice in that matter. Lori didn't enjoy the attention, the stares, or the questions which followed whenever someone got a look at the cut which traveled horizontally half way across her throat. Her mother sent her to all sorts of plastic surgeons in the hopes of having it removed. Much to her chagrin, most of the surgeons were nervous about any cosmetic surgery that close to a major artery. And so, the scar remained. It was a constant reminder of so many things Lori would rather forget. "Maybe it's better I remember." She said to herself softly, now fingering a picture frame absently. "I should never forget what happened. Even if its difficult, even if it hurts. Sometimes, people need to know the truth."  
  
Resolutely, Lori pushed herself from her bed, sliding the frame back under her mattress where it belonged. Remembering was one thing, leaving items where RX could find them was another. She tied a yellow silk robe around her waist and ventured from her room to check on Max. There were things more important than her own pain. Max's health was one of them.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

RX slapped down the screen of his laptop guiltily as Lori shuffled into the room. "Hey, mother o' mine. How ya doin'? Get a good night's sleep? There for a second I thought maybe you saw your shadow and went back to bed for six weeks."  
  
Lori looked at him askance and shook her head. "No, RX, I was actually doing a little work of my own. How's Max fairing?"  
  
"She's all right, I guess. I mean, she's still breathing. Her heart hasn't stopped beating or anything. But, she hasn't so much as moved an eyelash."  
  
Lori's brow furrowed as she crossed to the bed. "Are you sure? I thought Manticore gave their kids the ability to heal from trauma..."  
  
"Regeneration?" RX asked with wide eyes.  
  
"In a way. Although, not quite the way you mean it. I'm not sure if I could lop off her arm, and she'd grow a new one. You're sure she hasn't moved?"  
  
"Don't you think I'd notice if she had?"  
  
Lori glanced back at the teen and smiled. "You're right. You probably would have noticed." She agreed with a slight chuckle. "This is pretty serious though. She should be responding to the Trytophan drip at the very least. Any motor, mental, or physical damage should have been repaired."  
  
"But it's not being repaired." RX observed, stretching as he stood up from the table. "She's just the way she was yesterday. The Comatose Kid."  
  
Lori nodded, her lips pursed in thought. "Her personal effects are probably still at the hospital. I'm going to have to go see if I can track them down. There's more to this than meets the eye. You okay baby-sitting a while longer?"  
  
RX shrugged. "No problemo, Doc. I am one wide awake hombre."  
  
Lori rolled her eyes. "Just keep an eye on her, Paco."  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lori had no sooner stepped through the doors of the hospital, then she was accosted.   
  
"Where did you take her?" Dr. Bhakta demanded, his eyes narrowed in anger.  
  
"Where did I take who?" Lori countered, trying to maintain an innocent tone.  
  
"That seizure patient. I come back to check on her once your curiousity was satiated, and she was gone! Betty said she didn't have insurance, and you took her to the clinic. I called the clinic, Dr. Davis. Guess what? She was never checked in."  
  
Lori took a step back, as if struck by the man's accusations. "I hope you're not inferring that I did something with her, Dr. Bhakta. She *didn't* have insurance. And, in case you are previously uninformed, we don't accept patients without insurance. I had the girl transferred to the clinic. It just so happens that before she got there, she died. All right!"   
  
Dr. Bhakta's mouth dropped open. "She d...died." He stammered.  
  
"Yes, Dr. Bhakta. You can see why I won't be talking about in the doctor's lounge later, can't you? She died because we aren't allowed to help her. It sort of goes against our oath. You know, 'first do no harm.' "  
  
Dr. Bhakta nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Dr. Davis. If I'd known..."  
  
"Well, now you do. I trust we won't be having any more run-ins anytime soon."  
  
"No, no. Of course not."  
  
"Good. I happen to have tracked down her next of kin. Do you know where her personal items are?"   
  
Dr. Bhakta hesitated. "Well, she didn't have much on her. We found a bottle of Tryptophan...."  
  
"Tryptophan?" Lori interrupted, tension creeping into her voice.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't think it made any sense myself."   
  
"Do you still have it?"  
  
"The bottle of pills?"  
  
"Of course the bottle of pills!" Lori snapped impatiently.  
  
"I think its at the ER nurse's station. Why do you need the bottle?"  
  
Lori's mind whirled for an answer. "I believe her seizure was caused by a drug overdose. I don't think it was Tryptophan in that bottle. I was going to take it to the lab for testing."  
  
"Oh." Again Dr. Bhakta looked embarrassed. "I didn't catch that. I should have."  
  
"It's not your fault. Now, I really do have to go." With a roll of her eyes, Lori sidestepped the doctor and hurried to the nurse's station. Betty looked up in surprise.   
  
"Hello, Dr. Davis. What can I do for you? Any more uninsured patients?" There was a sarcastic bite to her friendly tone. If she wasn't in such a hurry, Lori would have reprimanded her.  
  
"I need that bottle of Tryptophan you found on the seizure patient yesterday. Do you still have it?"  
  
"Of course...It's right...Hmmm...Actually, it was right here."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"Well, it looks like someone must have misplaced it. Although, I could have sworn..."  
  
Lori groaned. "Never mind, I should have known how incompetent you people are."  
  
Betty's eyes flashed. "Well we aren't completely incompetent, Dr. Davis. You can have her beeper if you like." The nurse replied snidely.  
  
Lori put out her hand for the device. At least it was something.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lori rested her forehead against the steering wheel of her car. "Why can't things ever be easy?" She asked in frustration. "You made a promise two years ago, Lori. You can't break it now. Not when you finally have what you've been looking for all this time."  
  
Something was gnawing at her, some comment she'd made to Dr. Bhakta. 'I don't think it was Tryptophan in that bottle.' With a gasp of surprise, Lori straightened. She groped at her car's console for the car phone and quickly dialed a number. She was going to get some answers if it was the last thing she did. And...it very well could be.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lydecker concentrated on keeping his temper even. "I know this isn't exactly my field, Sir."  
  
"You're damn right it's not your field, Deck. You're job is recovering those kids, not coming up with ways to brainwash the ones you catch."  
  
"I'm aware of that, Sir. But...nothing you've used in the past has worked. I'd think at this point you'd be willing to try anything."  
  
"I certainly hope *you* aren't talking to *me* about failures, Deck. Exactly how many times have those X5s slipped through your fingers? You're lucky you're still *alive* to fail again."  
  
"I'm not going to fail, Sir. Not this time. I have new....strategies. But, it would certainly help me if I had that X4 you've been trying to reprogram."  
  
"Deck, why should we waste a perfectly good X4 on your botched recovery attempts?"  
  
"Because they won't be 'botched' any longer. Try the program. I guarantee, it will be the first in a long line of successes."  
  
"For your sake, Donald, it had better be."  
_  
_

  
Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  
  



	7. General Hospital--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
_2012_  
_  
_

  
Lori woke up in the hospital room, the events of the past few hours all but a blur on her memory.   
  
"Darling, you're all right!" Her mother screeched, jumping from her chair to hug her daughter.  
  
Lori was still a little confused, she looked around the room dazedly. Why was she in a hospital? "Ow!" Her mother had tried to hug her around the shoulders, grazing her neck. Lori flinched, one hand finding its way to the guaze covering half of her throat. Now, she was remembering. "I...I was attacked."  
  
"I know, Honey. I know. You were working in the lab. Some dreadful boy waited for you outside and tried to kill you."  
  
Tried? Why had he stopped? 'I'm sorry.' She remembered him whispering those words. "I'm not sure he meant to kill me, Mother." She whispered.  
  
Her mother dabbed at her forehead with a lace hanky. "I don't think anyone accidentally slits a young girl's throat, Loren. It was intentional."  
  
"Why didn't he finish the job than?" Lori pressed.  
  
Her mother hesitated. "I believe he was interrupted. Some Good Samaritan happened upon you while you were being attacked. I'm sure he scared that heathen away."  
  
"Who...Who was the 'Good Samaritan'?"  
  
"That's just it, Honey. He left before the ambulances arrived. He didn't want the credit for saving your life. He really is a hero."  
  
Lori frowned. He hadn't been there when the ambulance arrived. The teenager who attacked her apologized. It took only a second for her to understand the meaning behind those two seemingly unrelated facts. *He* had called the ambulance. *He* had saved her life after nearly taking it. But the real clincher, the thing she couldn't quite understand was the barcode.   
  
*He* was one of *them.* He had to be one of the Manticore kids. But, why was he running lose on the street? Was Manticore after her? Had they learned her father's dirty little secret? If that was it, why hadn't the X-whatever finished the job? He'd saved her life. He'd apologized! Why on earth would he do that? "Have the police captured him yet, Mother?" She finally asked, trying to hide the hope in her voice.  
  
"Actually, Honey, there's a nice police detective outside waiting to ask you some questions about the boy who attacked you. Are you up to an interview?"  
  
"Yes, Mother. Anything to see that this young man is apprehended."  
  
A few moments later, her mother exited to make room for Lt. Collins. The man seemed to carry with him an air of confidence and an aura of relaxation. Lori found it difficult not to like the man, but she had an agenda.  
  
"Good afternoon, Miss Davis. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" He started off, taking a seat by her bed.   
  
One of the nurses helped Lori sit, propping her up with pillows. "Not at all. Anything to help, Sir."  
  
"All right, first thing's first, can you describe your assailant for me please?"  
  
Lori paused, closing her eyes to picture the boy in her mind. "I believe he was around 5' 6", maybe a bit taller. Ebony black hair. It was long and shaggy, like he needed a haircut. He had brown eyes, almost black they were so dark. Carmel skin tone, you know, that bronzy color you get when you tan for awhile. Only...I don't think his was a tan. Maybe...Hispanic? No...No, wait. Definitely, Italian. He looked more Roman than Spanish. Strong features, I guess some people would call them chiseled. He appeared...hard, like he'd been through hell and back. He was muscular, I could tell from the feel of his arm around my neck. He definitely works out. I'd guess his age at around fourteen or fifteen, maybe a bit older. I'm not sure. Ah...I think that's it. I'm sorry, I know it's not much."  
  
The Lieutenant looked surprised. "Actually, Miss Davis, its much more than I was expecting. I wish all my victims were as astute as you. You couldn't have gotten a very good look at him. How do you remember all that?"  
  
Lori blushed. "Photographic memory. Mine's better than most. If I see something once, I can remember it for however long I choose."  
  
"I bet that's useful." The detective laughed.   
  
Smiling thoughtfully, Lori nodded. "You have no idea." Although she had only seen it for a brief moment, the fraction of a second, she still knew what she saw. Her attacker's barcode number lay etched on her eyelids, one fact she would not relate to the police. His number? 230045483316 She would find him, and find the truth, if it took the rest of her life.  
  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  



	8. Reunion--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
_2020_  


  
Feeling like a failure, Lori re-entered her spacious Seattle condo. She had gone to the hospital to find the Tryptophan and had only retreived a beeper. She threw her coat and briefcase onto the living room sofa, sighing with agitation.  
  
"Lori! Hey! Is that you?" She heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, then RX peeked around the corner. "Hey! How'd it go?"  
  
Lori frowned at him. "Not good. Somebody 'misplaced' the Tryptophan."  
  
RX nodded knowingly. "Uh huh, I'll believe that one when there's peace in the middle east. So, the trip to the hospital was a bust?"   
  
"Not entirely. The nurse did give me this." She tossed RX the beeper. "Looks like Max is pretty popular. She's gotten quite a few messages in the past twenty-four hours. Can you do anything with that?"  
  
"Hmmm...." RX turned it over in his hands thoughtfully. "Are you kidding me?! I was arrested at eleven for hacking into government computers. 'Can you do anything with that?' I'm hurt, Lori. Really, I am. I can *do* just about anything you want with this. I could teach it to say Hamlet's sililoquy backwards in Yiddish if you wanted me to."  
  
Lori couldn't help but smile at the teen. "Well, then, I want to know who's been beeping her. Somebody seems to be pretty preoccupied with contacting Max. I'd like to know who it is."  
  
"No problem." He smiled confidently. "Give me an hour and half." He turned back towards the stairwell and paused. "Oh yeah, almost forgot." RX spun towards Lori. With a broad grin on his boyish face, he crossed the living room, took her hand, and deposited three pills in it. "I thought you might want these."  
  
Lori's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you...Where did these..."  
  
RX grinned maliciously. "They were in her pocket. My guess....she wanted a few of her pills nearby if she needed them. I don't think The Man thought to look in her pockets...or he didn't have a chance. Either way, their yours now. Go do that voodoo which you do so well. And, don't ever say I never do anything for you."  
  
"RX, I could kiss you." Lori laughed, holding the pills in her hand as if they were precious gems.  
  
The teenager shook his head. "If you really want to thank me, get that fox downstairs to kiss me. Oof!" He was assualted with a sofa cushion thrown at his head. "I'll settle for a hug." He yelled back as he dashed down the stairs to avoid being stoned by pillows.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

He was gone. Completely erased from the folds of his brain were the memories, the feelings. He was what he had been designed for, a soldier. Their program had worked, he was now fully operational. His first test was simple, kill the person who had once meant the world to him. His allegiance must be tested. He would not fail._  
_

  
X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


Lori wandered back to her bedroom to begin a mad hunt for the impossible. She would be lucky if she still had it. She'd be even luckier if it still worked. She pulled box after box out of her closet, dumping the contents onto her bed and groaning with dismay when they provided nothing but keepsakes and crap.  
  
A gasp of shock issued from her throat as a pale blue pill bottle tumbled onto the bedspread. With a shaking hand, she picked it up. She should have thrown this away years ago. It was too painful to think about.   
  
Lori's blood ran cold. She couldn't help but wonder if RX's paranoia was spreading, but she still had to know. She shook three of the pills into her hand and put them in a container with the Tryptophan. She'd soon find out whether her depression had been spurred on by fate or by man.  
  
"Lori?" RX knocked on her bedroom door. "I have those results you wanted. Sorry it took me so long."  
  
Lori looked up. Had it been over an hour already? "That's all right. I'll be there in a minute." She shoved the junk back into boxes and hurried out to meet her ward. "What do you have for me, little buddy?"  
  
RX flinched. "Well, little darlin', it appears the person who's been a-tryin' to contact this here school marm is one Mr. Logan Cale." He informed using his best John Wayne.  
  
Lori would have played along, but the name caught her off guard. "Logan Cale?" She asked with slight disbelief.  
  
"Yep. Why? You know him or something?"  
  
"Sort of. I guess the world is smaller than I thought." She laughed. "Can you call him for me please?"  
  
RX frowned. "We're bringing him in on this, too? I thought it was just us. We don't really need some spoiled rich kid."  
  
"RX, Max is his friend. He's obviously been worried about her. If something like that had happened to me wouldn't you want to know about it?"  
  
"I guess." He agreed grudgingly. "So, what do I tell him?"  
  
Lori frowned. "Tell him if wants to find out where his friend is, he should be at the abandoned Space Needle at 8 am tomorrow...alone. If anyone else is there, he doesn't learn a thing about Max."  
  
"Sure thing, 'Mam." He saluted. "Why tomorrow?"  
  
"I want to have something more to tell him. Right now, I don't know a damn thing."  
  


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_

Logan's nerves were frayed to the breaking point. There was no sign of Max anywhere! No hospital records, police files, nothing. He'd called his Eyes Only contacts. Even they were at a loss.   
  
If Max was in a hospital with doctors there would be no telling what might happen. Any one of them could spill information to Manticore. And, they couldn't possibly know about the Tryptophan.   
  
The phone rang. Logan jumped than reached for it. Maybe it would be Max. "Hello."  
  
"This Logan Cale?"  
  
"Who wants to know?" He asked in a guarded tone.  
  
The person on the other end of the phone snorted. "Well, Max for one."   
  
Logan stiffened. "What do you know about Max?"  
  
"Oh, lots of things. I knew she was a friend of yours didn't I? You've sure been beepin' her a lot lately."  
  
Logan's brow furrowed. "How old are you?"  
  
A pause. "Age is not important. I'll tell you what is...That friend of yours is real sick. I think havin' a friend around might help. Who knows! If you want information about her you should be at the Space Needle at 8 tomorrow morning. Come alone or not at all. There's nothing more to say." The phone line clicked.  
  
Logan was perplexed. He might have considered the call a prank, but there were too many factors. They knew his name, Max's name, more than they should. Who had Max? Manticore? Would they call him? Would they try to lure him out? Maybe, Zack? No, definitely not him. Zack wouldn't voluntarily bring Logan in on anything.   
  
Although he wasn't happy about the prospect, if Logan wanted to find out who Max's supposed benefactor was, he was going to have to meet them on their terms._  
_

  
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Lori opened one of the capsules and put the powder down a tiny tube. Luck had been on her side today, the key the chemistry professor had given her years ago still worked. They hadn't changed the locks since she'd been there as a student.   
  
She watched with interest as the Mass Spectrometer did its job. After a few moments, the paper at the end revealed what she had expected. Tryptophan, and something else. She worked for hours, bending over tests and printouts. Finally, after what seemed like a decade of work, she identified the substance.   
  
It was with a heavy heart that she placed the contents of the pills from her closet into the Mass Spectrometer. Did she really want to know what was in them? As the machine whirred to life, she realized that she *had* to know. She couldn't live another day without that one tragedy from her past revealed to her. Tapping her foot expectantly, she waited. The paper shot out of the end and proved to her what she had feared. The sorrow was overwhelming. "The bastard! How could he?" She sobbed.   


  
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_

  
Lori stepped out into the darkness of the night. It reminded her of once long ago. A chill ran down her spine, causing the small hairs on her arms to stand at attention. She took a few steps and bristled. She could feel the eyes upon her. Somewhere in the darkness a man was waiting.  
  
She was gripped by a feeling of deja vu so intense it required inhuman courage not to turn tail and run back in the building. She rumagged in her purse for a moment, pulling out a small syringe in a plastic case. *He'd* insisted that she carry it for protection the day he'd left. This would be the first time she'd ever used it.  
  
The same sound. A muffled footstep behind her. She took a deep breath and awaited the coming scrimmage. The arm wrapped around her neck, squeezing with a vicelike intensity. She kept the syringe in front of her where he could not see the object. Then, as quickly as she could, she slammed the syringe into the man's arm.   
  
He dropped to the pavement, his face burried in the tar.  
  
"Teach you to try and mug me! It's called Paralzyne. Well, this is more like a generic, I created it in my lab at home. You see, the motor neurons in the muscles of your body are now incapable of communication. The axon bulbs and receptors have been blocked by a rather interesting chemical compound. So, you can't move." She smiled, kicking his leg angrily. "Of course, you can feel just fine, the sensory neurons are intact." She bent down, placing her hands upon his arm. "I don't want you to suffocate now do I? Of course not. I want you to wake up and tell all your little friends about the chick with the magic serum. Next time, I'll OD you on it." Then, she spotted the barcode...230045483316. She stood up quickly, backing away from the body.   
  
Lori stared in confusion. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, her breathing was now a more than conscious effort, and each heartbeat felt like her last. "No." She whispered silently. "No, it can't..." Lori could see the familiar number clearly. She knew what it meant. With intense fear, she bent down to flip the body over. A moan issued from her throat.   
  
His eyes stared into hers, the brown orbs void of emotion.   
  
She met his gaze. "My God!" Her mind spun. 'It worked, didn't it? I can't believe it. Can I make you remember, or are the memories gone? There's no way of knowing is there? How?' She brought her hand up to touch the collar of her lab coat. Burrowing her fingers beneath the linen, she could still feel the scar on her neck. She sighed. "It would have been better if you'd been dead." She whispered as she walked away.  
  


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He'd caught a glimpse of the scar beneath the collar of her coat. Somewhere deep within his mind, the memory stirred.   
  
It was a dark night, outside this very building. He'd been waiting. For what? Oh, yes, the girl. She was rich, he could surmise that much from her wardrobe. It would be easy to mug her. He might be able to live off the contents of her purse for months.  
  
The door had opened, and she stepped out into the awaiting night. Before he could doubt himself, he attacked her. His arm wrapped around her neck and squeezed as he pulled the switchknife from his pocket. He'd managed to slice her neck several inches before she wiggled in his arms. She'd turned herself enough for her eyes to meet his. He'd dropped the knife, loosened his grip on the girl.   
  
What was that? She'd looked at him so strangly. It hadn't been fear or anger which he had seen in her gaze. It was something else. Pity, forgiveness. He placed her gently on the ground below. He would have been punished for behavior like this in battle, but he couldn't kill her, not now. She didn't deserve it. He brushed her hair from her face and knelt down until his mouth was near her ear. "I'm sorry." He whispered, and disappeared into the night.  
  


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"I'm sorry." He whispered through his haze.  
  
Lydecker gritted his teeth angrily. "Why is he apologizing?! What is he apologizing for?" He turned to one of the men beside him. "I thought you said the program worked! He isn't supposed to remember anything!"  
  
"He didn't, Sir. The medication and the treatments are too strong. I don't know what that was about..."  
  
"I don't want to hear 'I don't know's! Take him back and make sure this doesn't happen again!"  
_  
_

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	9. Great Expectations--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2012_**  


  
  
  
_The boy watched with satisfaction as the girl he'd attacked was placed on a stretcher and hurriedly wheeled into the waiting ambulance. She would be all right. For some unknown reason, this gave him comfort.  
  
Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he turned into the wind. He didn't know where he was going to go. It had been two years. Two years since he'd escaped. Two years since he'd gained his freedom. He snorted, "Some freedom." Looking down at the ground, he kicked at a stray rock in frustration.   
  
The X5s...they were different. He'd heard them sometimes through the vents at night. They called each other by names, Max, Tinga, Zack, and so many others. He had yearned for a name of his own, but could not think of anything worth while. He'd tried to convince the others in his unit to take up the practice, but they seemed uninterested. So, he'd remained only X4-316.   
  
The X5s...they called each other 'brother' and 'sister.' The X4s would have none of it. They didn't understand the terms and didn't care. So, he'd been without a family.  
  
He had a good eye, excellent technique. 'They' had decided he would make a good assasin. His schedule had changed. He missed some of the classes the other X4s took. Sometimes, he would be schooled alone in things they decided an assasin should know. It was his separation from the others which had allowed him to see the X5s. Some were younger than he, one or two might be a bit older. They were good, superior to him in several ways. But, they seemed more 'human' than the others. How he yearned to join their unit!   
  
Then, one night, he'd heard it. The alarm sounded. The guards began shouting. Chaos reigned supreme. He knew on impulse what had happened. The X5s had escaped. It only fueled his envy towards them. That was when he first had the idea. He would escape. Somehow, someway, he would escape.   
  
The oppurtunity had shown itself earlier than he expected. He'd been removed from his unit, taken into a blank, white room, and been briefed. They had an 'assignment' for him, a 'target' which needed to be eliminated. They fit him with a tracking device, deep inside one of his molars.   
  
He'd done what they instructed, killed the man they'd told him to murder. But, it was all part of the plan. He'd finished everything as quickly as he could. With the remaining time, he'd removed the molar from his mouth. He'd planted the offending tooth in an unfortunate homeless man's pocket. Then, he'd bolted.  
  
Life hadn't been like he'd expected. He had yet to find a single X5; he still had no name; he had no friends; and he was still the orphan he'd been at Manticore. The only real difference was at Manticore he'd had a roof over his head, a warm meal, clothes. It was hard to decide which life was worse. Most of the time, he just didn't think about it.  
  
Looking at the girl he'd attacked, he'd been overcome by that same feeling of envy and loss. She appeared so kind, so caring. He found himself thinking about the name she might have given him, about the friendship she might have provided. It was useless now. He'd destroyed that chance. "Damn Manticore!" He cursed, throwing a punch into a nearby wall. He'd probably broken several of his fingers, but he didn't care. It would heal sooner than most would have believed. Besides, pain took his mind off his stupidity.  
  
"Hold it right there!"  
  
X4-316 stiffened, turning slightly to see a sillohuetted figure at the end of the street. His vision focused on the figure, intensified, and revealed a police officer. "Shit." He muttered. He thought about running. But then, he wondered why. Anything would be better than the life he led now. Even Manticore. Even death. With a sigh, he let the man approach him.   
  
"Take the position, Son. I'm going to need to take you in for questioning."  
  
As before, X4-316 did as commanded._  
  
  


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	10. The Godfather--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
_2020_  


  
  
Lori was seated on a rusted park bench in front of the Space Needle. Not many people came near the abandoned building. To her, it was a metaphor for America, the image of what the once great nation had become. At the moment, she had her legs casually crossed, reading her favorite novel. To the normal passerby, she was merely a professional woman completely enthralled by her book while attempting to relax and escape the chaos of post-pulse Seattle. Although, she wasn't paying any attention to the written words in front of her. She was listening astutely to every sound. Loren wasn't exactly sure how Logan would react to her news, or if he would even come. *He* would have scolded her for that. She smiled sadly. Lori could almost hear his soft tenor ringing in her ears.  
  
"You always need a plan, Lori."  
  
'I'm trying,' she thought, 'but I never had the luxury of combative training, just Girl Scouts.' An unfamiliar metallic sound met her ears. She glanced up from her book and squinted into the coming twilight. "Logan? Logan Cale?" She asked, feigning complete shock.  
  
The man stared at her for a moment, trying to place her.  
  
Lori laughed. "Don't feel bad if you don't remember me. Loren Davis. Your grandfather and my father belonged to the same yachting club when we were younger, pre-pulse."  
  
There was a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "No, Lori, I haven't *forgotten* you. I didn't *recognize* you. It's hard to forget the girl who delighted in terrorizing the yacht club members. If I remember right, you put a chemical on the door knob of the men's room that caused a real scandal."  
  
Lori laughed. "You know, I'd forgotten about that."  
  
"I haven't. My hand was black for a week."   
  
"My apologies." Lori offered with a smile. Logan had changed very little, except for the wheelchair. She thought it best not to ask about that. She lifted her book to her eyes again. She'd give him some time to think. Better not to flood him with information too quickly.  
  
Logan was shocked by Lori's presence. He didn't even know she was in Seattle, and the fact that she was here seemed rather odd. But, she certainly wasn't the person for which he was waiting. Couldn't be. Logan just hoped she wouldn't scare off Max's 'benefactor '.  
  
Fifteen minutes ticked by. Lori gazed over at Logan again. He appeared calm, although she could sense small physical movements which caused her to think he was nervous. She looked down at her book, running her finger along the title. Finally, she came to a decision. She had a plan...it wasn't a good one...but it *was* a plan. *He* would have probably had a heartattack at the sheer simplicity, but *he* wasn't here. She flinched. That hadn't been a good thought.  
  
"Have you ever read Brave New World, Logan?" She didn't wait for a response. "It's really unbelievable. I find the subject matter frightening myself. Genetically altered individuals being tortured as children to fit their creators' twisted purpose. Being classifed by Alpha or Gamma like animals is just unimaginable. That's more terrifying than a rabid Saint Bernard or a possessed car, Huxley's better than King any day. At least to me. But than again, I've always been rather odd."  
  
Logan stared at her. "I would have to agree with you there."  
  
Lori frowned, not sure which comment he was agreeing with. She dropped her voice to a soft whisper. "She's all right you know. Or, as all right as she can be. She's pretty sick. I've got her on a Tryptophan IV drip. It should begin working soon. I can take you to her if you want."  
  
"*You've* got her?" Logan seemed wary. "Where is she?"   
  
"My place, I converted an old bomb shelter into a hospital ward for exactly this purpose."  
  


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RX was seated in the desk chair next to Max, flipping through a girlie magazine. Lori led the way into the converted shelter. It appeared identical to a hospital room, although some of the equipment was unfamiliar to Logan. RX looked up from his magazine as they entered. Guiltily, he tried to sit on it.  
  
"Raymond Ximenes Sanchez you had better not be looking at that filth again, or I'll make you change bed pans at the hospital for two months!" Lori scolded in a purely maternal tone.  
  
RX flinched at the sound of his full name. "Man! You're worse than a mom." He whined as he caught sight of Logan. "You brought him *here*! Man! I can't believe..."  
  
Lori flashed him an impatient look. "Don't you have something else you should be doing right now?"  
  
RX looked at her dejectedly. "Yeah. I'm leaving. I don't know why though, I'm the one who found her...." His grumbling faded as he escaped ear shot.  
  
Lori shook her head in mock annoyance. She turned to Logan, he'd wheeled himself to Max's bedside. When he spoke, his voice was hushed. Somewhere, beyond the tiers of sound, she could sense a sadness which imbued his voice. He cared for Max, that was evident. She could see it so clearly in his actions. It brought a pang of loss to her heart. She'd once been the recipient of that kind of affection. No more. It had been taken away. "What's wrong with her?" Logan asked.  
  
"She suffered a grand mal seizure. Neurology isn't my specialty, but I do know about this particular condition from...personal experience." She paused, calming her raging emotions. Now was not the time or the place to relive her memories of *him.*   
Logan noticed the small gap in speaking, but he was too wrapped up in Max's ailment to worry about Lori's past.   
  
She continued. "I had to remove her from the hospital. Number One, they'd have probably noticed her 'abnormalities.' Number Two, they wouldn't know how to treat her, I do...And, Donald Lydecker was in the building no more than ten minutes before I found her. It was too risky. I hope you aren't upset."  
  
"Why was it so severe?" Logan continued in a strained tone.  
  
"I believe Lydecker thought of a new way to capture the X5s, or at least a few of them. He spiked Max's Tryptophan with a chemical which would prove harmless to you and anyone not 'genetically engineered'...but which was catastrophic for her. It interacted with the seratonin levels in her brain, causing her to have a sudden, violent seizure. The pills she thought would save her, only made her condition worse."  
  
Logan was examining Lori carefully. He couldn't help but feel paranoid about her 'miraculous' appearance.  
  
Lori caught the tremor of his features. She laughed wryly. "Don't go thinking I'm a double agent or a spy. I hate Manticore for what they did to those kids."  
  
As if on cue, RX sauntered back in the room. "Yo, warden, your boyfriend called." His voice carried an annoyingly teasing tone.   
  
"My boyfriend?" Lori questioned, the amusement gone from her voice. Now there was a different tone, unidentifiable.  
  
"Mein Fuhrer."  
  
"The bastard, what does Lydecker want now?" There was hatred in her voice as she spoke his name.  
  
"Still about the job."  
  
"Tell him I'm filing for a restraining order tomorrow."  
  
RX looked back at Max with a sigh. "She's still out cold isn't she?"  
  
"Yes." Loren answered, preoccupied by RX's news.  
  
"Maybe if Richie Rich kisses her she'll wake up." RX declared, scurrying out of the room before he could be reprimanded again. He knew Lori wasn't in the mood for jokes, but he couldn't resist that one.  
  
Logan had watched the scene quietly, as RX left he spoke up. "You know Lydecker." It was more of an irate observation than a question.  
  
"Yes, we're old nemeses. I wish the man would contract Ebola and die. The weasel wants me to go work at Manticore. He's not as smart as they think he is, or he wouldn't even be asking."   
  
"How do I know you aren't going to turn her in the moment she wakes up?" Logan asked, his voice hard.  
  
Lori seemed surprised. "Why would I do that? Hell, Logan, if I'd wanted to turn her over to Manticore, I would have already done it. Don't you think if *they're* the ones that did this to her that *they'd* be the ones to undo it?..." Her voice trailed off, eyes flashing. "Is that it, Logan? Do you think I did this? I know we didn't know each other well when we're were younger but...I can't believe you'd think I could do anything like this! I'm really very offended. I take Max into my home to save her from that asshole Lydecker and what do I get in return? Accusations and paranoia. Maybe RX was right...I shouldn't have brought you in on this."  
  
Logan stared at her for a moment. "I'm sorry. You're right. If you did have anything to do with Manticore Lydecker would be here already."  
  
"Damn straight." Lori muttered, still flustered by Logan's lack of trust.  
  
Logan stared at Max's sleeping figure. It was odd seeing her this way, vulnerable. He'd never pictured her like that. Sure, *he'd* been placed in a vulnerable, mortal situation when a bullet had severed his spinal cord, but he'd always imagined Max as being unstoppable. She was, after all, designed to be that way.  
  
Now, as he stared at her seemingly lifeless figure, he realized the extent of his feelings and the folly of his emotions. "How much longer will she be like this?" He asked in a voice thick with emotion despite his attempts to hide it.  
  
Lori looked away to hide the tears in her own eyes. She could identify with Logan's pain. At least he had a body to pray over. "I'm not sure. The pills she took were laced with a very harmful chemical. From my work at the lab yesterday, I'd estimate the half life at around twelve to eighteen hours. Which, to a laeman, means that the chemical should be down to about one third of its original volume in her system by now. That, coupled with the near constant Tryptophan IV drip and the regenerative agent in her blood stream should have her up and about fairly soon. Of course, there could always be factors of which I am not currently aware."  
  
Logan nodded absently, his gaze still fixed on Max.  
  
"Oh great and wonderful doctor!" RX called from the hallway. "You have an urgent phone call from your superior at the hospital awaiting you in the den."  
  
Lori sighed. "Excuse me. I'll give you some time alone with Max. Doctor's have never been able to decide if someone in a coma can hear loved ones when you speak to them. But, I'm inclined to think its perfectly logical that they can. Anyway, it makes the speaker feel better." Lori trudged up the stairs and walked calmly to the den. Despite what her exterior might suggest, inside her the anger was brewing.   
  


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_

Lydecker was seated on the couch in the den, leafing through one of the files Lori had placed on her desk. He rose when Lori entered the room.  
  
She walked up to him calmly, smiling sweetly.   
  
"How are..." His question was cut off by the a stinging blow from Lori's hand.  
  
"You bastard! How dare you!" She interrupted.  
  
Lydecker scowled. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"You do, too! God, you disgust me! I had no idea you were going to spike her Tryptophan. You didn't tell me you were going to do that. It was not part of the deal."  
  
"How else were you going to catch her, get her in a vulnerable position?"  
  
"I...I don't know. But, I would have found a way. I didn't need any help from you."  
  
Lydecker turned around and walked to the fireplace, examining a family picture on the mantle. "You remind me a great deal of your father. He had the same...drive."  
  
"Don't compare me to my father." She whispered, her eyes burning angrily. "What the hell were you doing last tonight anyway?" She shouted, changing the subject before he continued his anecdotes about her father. "I wasn't expecting *him* to attack me! I walk outside and he's on me like a doberman."   
  
"We had to test his allegiance and the effectiveness of that program you gave me."  
  
"Bull shit! I told you that program would work. You didn't 'have' to 'test' anything."  
  
"Oh, but I did." He insisted, turning to look at her again. "The people at Manticore are still a little weary of you, my dear."  
  
"They're all fools. Manticore wouldn't exist without my father. He argued for federal funding everytime there was a hearing! Getting the money back after the X1 fiasco was a major undertaking. Those...those 'things' are hideous! It's no wonder they wanted to shut you people down. Manticore owes my father a great deal."  
  
"Yes, but you had one of the runaways in your home for years. You even mar..."  
  
She cut him off again. "I didn't know. He told me the barcode was a gang tattoo. How was I supposed to know he was from Manticore? Father had been dead for years. He didn't discuss his job with me! He couldn't...it was classified! I only found out about Manticore *after* you and your men took what was 'yours.' Which brings me to another interesting point. I thought you told me *he* was dead. Why did you use the program on *him*? Surely you have some other X-whatever to test it on. Why him?"  
  
Lydecker's eyebrow rose. "When you talk like that, I wonder if you still care about the man."  
  
"Don't be an ass...Why are you here anyway? One of her friends is downstairs. You could blow the entire operation."  
  
"We have a problem."  
  
"A problem?"  
  
"I think your little friend remembered something."   
  
"What?" She swallowed quickly, hoping Lydecker hadn't noticed the hope in her voice.   
  
"After that incident in the alley he was muttering something like 'I'm sorry.' You don't know anything about that do you?"  
  
"Hell no!" She muttered, looking away. "Why the hell would he be apologizing?"  
  
"I was hoping you might know."  
  
"Well, Deck, I don't." She retorted bitterly.  
  
Lydecker stood, crossing to a place beside her. "Why are you so distant, Lori? I remember a time when we were fairly close."  
  
Lori gave him a sidelong glance and snorted. "Newsflash...I never liked you. Father named you my Godfather...I sure as hell didn't. I hate to be rude, but you better leave. If Max's friend find's you here I'm going to have one hell of a mess to explain...don't you think?"  
  
Lydecker nodded saddly, turning from Lori. He stopped at the door. "I promised your father I'd look out for you, Lori. Everything I've done, I've done for you." With that, he exited the room.  
  
Lori collapsed into a chair and sobbed. Everything he'd done? *Everything* he'd done?   
She had a feeling she still didn't know *everything* that man had done to her. She'd been led to believe that *he* was dead. Now...now she'd gazed into his face. She'd lost everything. Her life had been so bleak. Was it any wonder she'd become so closed off? Was it any wonder she'd given up hope two years ago?  
  


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	11. Forgiveness--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2012_**  


  
_Lori wrapped her coat closer around her shoulders. The bandage around her neck seemed to be a constant reminder that she was no longer safe in this world. She stepped up to the counter, staring with wide eyes at a burly police officer whose rotund stomach had to be twice her size. "Um...Excuse me, Officer. I'm here to speak with a Lt. Collins about my er....my mugging."  
  
The police officer looked down at the petite teenager. She couldn't be a day over fourteen. "You were mugged?" He seemed horrifed by the suggestion.  
  
Lori swallowed hard, the reflexive action causing her freshly stitched wound to burn. "Well, Sir, I mean....Yes. He tried to kill me, but didn't succeed."  
  
The mountain of a cop shook his head in disgust. "Too bad we can't give the scum the electric chair. You just come with me, little darling, we'll get you all set up."  
  
Lori cringed inwardly. She despised those degrading pet names older people always   
seemed to bestow upon her. Her diminutive stature, rich black hair, deep blue eyes, and ivory skin tone made her appear to be fragile. She wasn't a little porcelin doll. She had an IQ which was practically off the charts. She was capable of a lot more than people thought. No one seemed to give her any credit. She was a pretty face or a walking brain, nothing more, but she kept her mouth shut.   
  
The police officer showed her to a door, actually knocked, and announced her presence like a butler. Lt. Collins immediately stood. "Miss Davis, I'm glad you could make it in. Are your parents here?" He asked, gazing behind her expectantly.  
  
Lori shook her head quickly. "My father died two years ago. My mother is at a Women's Club meeting. It's just me." She saw the flash of diapproval in the man's eyes. He apparently did not know her mother. Lori's attack was the hottest thing on the gossip mill, and Lori's mother was the most popular woman at the Club for the moment. There would be no prying her away.  
  
Lt. Collins offered Lori a chair, followed by a cup of coffee. Lori only accepted the former. "Well, Miss Davis, I wanted to talk to you about this mugger of yours."  
  
Lori stiffened. "Yes, Sir..."  
  
"Please, call me Rick." He smiled congenially. "Well, Miss Davis...."  
  
"Lori." She interrupted smoothly.  
  
"Lori," Rick corrected. "I believe we've captured the boy who attacked you. He's in custody right now."  
  
"How? I mean, I couldn't really describe him...I barely saw him." Lori insisted, her pretty brow furrowed.  
  
"We caught him a few blocks down the road. He wasn't wearing a shirt. The boy confessed to the mugging. We just need you to fill out some paper work so we can draw up charges..."  
  
"May I see him?" Lori asked tentatively.  
  
Lt. Rick Collins stared at her blankly. "You want to talk to the guy who mugged you...who tried to kill you?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. I just...I don't know if I'll ever feel safe again. I need to know why he did it. Please..." Lori bit her lower lip to hold back a sob. It was all just an act. She felt perfectly safe. But, she did want to see the boy, and this seemed like the easiest ploy.  
  
"They could have my badge for this, but I suppose I can get you in an empty interrogation room. I'll give you an hour. After that, you come and fill out the paperwork for me, all right?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. Thank you."  
  
The Lieutenant led Lori to an empty room and helped her into one of the seats at the table. Rick pulled another out and began to lower himself into it.   
  
"Lieutenant? I was actually hoping I might speak to him alone." Lori looked up pleadingly.  
  
Lt. Collins looked as if he was about to argue, when the door opened and the suspect was led in. Rick glanced at Lori, sighed and followed the guards out. He had no intention of leaving her alone. He'd watch through the mirror.  
  
The boy was staring at her in shock. His large brown eyes seemed even larger with the surprise of finding her in the room waiting for him. He'd been expecting another long interrogation. He would have prefered it. "You." He observed softly, a slight tremor to his voice.  
  
Lori smiled wryly. "I'm glad you remember me. Then again, I'm not easy to forget." She reached up to grab the guaze which covered her wound. Deftly, she ripped it off. "18 stitches."  
  
The boy flinched and looked away. He wasn't supposed to feel guilt. Killing wasn't supposed to be a problem. But...for some reason he couldn't fathom, he felt almost suicidal about having hurt her. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Occasionally, he would look up to observe her expression. It was unreadable. She really was beautiful, the boy realized with a pang of regret. He hadn't given her much thought when he'd followed her those first few days. But, now he saw how breathtaking she was.   
  
There were few words or phrases which could describe the peculiar nature of Lori's beauty. The short sundress she wore tastefully showcased a superub figure, perhaps even more superub considering her young age.  
  
Lori's thick black hair had settled around her head to frame the perfect oval of her face and cascade down her back like a midnight waterfall. It's color was that of finely polished obsydian, shining almost blue under the bright lights of the room. Her exposed skin was as transparent as egg-shell china; smooth, soft, and without blemish. However, this was not where Lori's irrestible charm lay. It was not so easy to delineate.   
  
Perhaps it was her eyes. They did not appear blue, or green, or gray, but all colors at once. They were a whirlwind of hues dancing in her irises. It gave her eyes an almost ethereal quality. Her cheekbones were high, almost sculpted. Her full lips, shaped like a cupid's bow, were painted a light mauve.   
  
How painful it was for him to realize that he'd marred her beauty with his violence. She would forever carry the mark of that night, stitched so hideously into that soft, ivory throat. It was the first time in his fifteen years he'd ever considered taking his own life. Now, death seemed a rightful punishment.  
  
Lori watched with a conflict of emotions. He actually looked like he was in pain. Then, she remembered the time restraint. "Why?" She finally asked. "Why did you stop? Why didn't you finish the job? Why did you apologize?"  
  
The boy looked away. His words still seemed bitter. "It was something in your eyes." Those deep sapphire eyes which threatened to swallow his soul. He sighed, searching for a better explanation. "I couldn't follow through with my objective. You...you were so innocent, pure. I couldn't kill you."  
  
"You didn't want to kill me? Then what did you want, my money?" There was no anger in her voice now, only curiosity.  
  
"Yes." He answered, shame creeping into his hard tone.   
  
"I would have given it to you if you'd asked me." She continued, her melodic soprano voice sounding almost tender.  
  
He looked at her incredulously. "You would have *given* it to me if I'd *asked?* Yeah, right."  
  
From her purse, Lori pulled out a wad of bills totalling over three hundred dollars. Carefully, she counted them, laid them on the table, and pushed them towards the confused teenager. "Take it. Consider it a downpayment on your bail."  
  
"My bail?"  
  
Lori nodded. "For some reason, you don't trust people. You look at the world through gray-tinted glasses. I'm going to show you that not everyone is bad. You see...I forgive you. You didn't kill me. So, as far as I'm concerned, you did nothing wrong. You're the product of a screwed up society. I'm not goin to press charges against you for the assault. Instead...I'm going to ask my mother to use her connections at the DCF to hurry through the adoption proceedings."  
  
"Adoption proceedings?" He stammered, taken off gaurd. Lori laughed. She was even more beautiful when she laughed.   
  
"Yes, adoption. My mother will agree to adopting you, because it will be such a nice topic of conversation at the Club." She rolled her eyes at this. "The world can be a beautiful place. Somehow, I'm going to show you that."  
  
"What's going to keep me from robbing you blind and running away?" He continued haltingly.  
  
"Nothing." Lori answered. "But, you won't 'rob us blind' for the same reason you didn't kill me. There's a good person inside you. I can see him when I look into your eyes. Your parents...or someone in your past, tried to turn you away from that goodness. I'm going to help you find it again. You can leave whenever you want. I won't be holding you prisoner."  
  
Of course, he realized, he would have no desire to leave. Her words were so honest, her face so full of hope. He could feel his heartbeat quicken at the presence of a smile on her face. What was wrong with him? It certainly was akin to nothing he'd experienced before. He'd escaped from Manticore to be free. Now, he realized with a surprise, he was no longer in possession of his liberty. At the same time, he hoped that he might finally have what he'd always wanted. For some reason, he was being given another chance._  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  
  
  


  



	12. Betrayal--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2020_**  


  
  
Logan sat beside Max's hospital bed, awkwardly holding her hand in his own. "C'mon Max, you have to pull though this. How am I supposed to accomplish anything without *you*?" He paused self consciously rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. What was that old cliche? You never know what you have until you lose it.  
  
"Max, you can't let them win. You can't let Manticore get the best of you. What's Zack going to think? How will Tinga and Jondy feel if they know Manticore beat you?" His voice was small with the next comment. "What will *I* do if Manticore beats you?"  
  
Max's figure stirred slightly. One eyelid flickered. "Aw, Logan. I didn't know you cared." Max managed to croak sarcastically in a scratchy voice.  
  
Logan sat straight up, dropping her hand in the process. "Max? Are you all right?"  
  
She opened one eye and looked at him incredulously. "Do I look all right to you?" She paused, rubbing her throat with her hand. "Could I get a drink of water or something?"  
  
Logan nodded and quickly wheeled himself to the doorway. "RX? Lori?"  
  
"Coming, coming. Hold your horses." RX mumbled. A moment later he was walking down the corridor with his hands stuffed in his pockets. "What do you want, Richie Rich?"  
  
Logan's brow furrowed. "Max wants a drink of water." He stated in a humorless tone.  
  
RX stopped mid-stride. "You...You mean she's awake?   
  
"How else would she ask for a drink of water?" Logan was beginning to lose patience with the teen.  
  
RX's eyes doubled in size. "In that case, I'll be back in a jiffy.   
  
X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
"Lori?" RX stopped in the doorway of her office to stare awkwardly at the sight of his foster mother sobbing in her chair. "Lori, are you all right?" He asked tenderly as he came around the side of her desk to squat in front of her. "Yo, snap out of it, chica. Our favorite patient is up and around."  
  
That information drew Loren away from her tears. "Max is awake?" She inquired between hiccups.  
  
RX nodded. "She asked for a glass of water. I thought I'd stop by and tell you she was conscious before I filled her request. You gonna come down and take a look at her? Because, if you are, you might think about redoing your makeup. It's pretty obvious that you've been crying."  
  
Lori blushed. "I'll fix my mascara and be down in a minute." She whispered.  
  
RX stood, but turned back to her before leaving. "I could kill that Lydecker guy for making you cry. He better never come around here again!" The scrawny teenager threatened before marching back down the hallway to the kitchen.  
  
X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
"Logan, what happened? Where am I?" Max asked as she examined her surroundings more closely. Her voice was stronger, but her throat still needed that water RX had gone off to retrieve.  
  
"You had a seizure, Max." Logan explained carefully. It would be best not to tell her that the seizure had been purposelly triggered by Lydecker. Knowing Max, she would want to hunt the man down right now, and she obviously wasn't well enough yet. "They took you to Reed Memorial Hospital. Somehow, one of the doctors recognized your condition and knew what you are. She brought you here to keep Manticore from finding you. She's been treating you for that seizure now for several days."  
  
Max's eyes narrowed. "And it doesn't seem strange that she just *happened* to be there when I needed her? How in the hell does she know about Manticore and the X-5s? This seems just a little too coincedental."  
  
Logan flinched. He had been so caught up in his worries about Max that he had not stopped to give any of those questions much thought. So much for Eyes Only. "She's not a total stranger, Max. We knew each other as children..." He protested.  
  
"So? Children change a lot when they grow up, Logan. She might not be the same person she was. I know I'm not. I just don't understand why you were so quick to trust her."  
  
"I was worried about you." His volume dropped. "I was willing to except help from whoever would offer it. I just didn't want you to die, Max."  
  
"Well, if you ask me, you're both being asses." A young voice filtered from the hallway. "Loren is the most trustworthy person on the planet. You don't know what you're talking about. She would no sooner work for Manticore than she would sell her soul to Satan. She hates that Lydecker guy, even if he is her god..." RX snapped his mouth shut. He'd just made a huge tactical error.  
  
"Lydecker is her what?" Max demanded, half rising from the hospital bed.  
  
"Godfather." RX whispered. "Deck and her father were Army buddies."  
  
"I wasn't quite ready to tell them that, Raymond." Loren commented in a steely tone as she joined them. "I hardly think my deceased father's relationship with that bastard is of concern to any of you." Her eyes traveled to Max, assessing her with a doctor's eye. "I'm glad to see you're up, Max. Although, I would have prefered to introduce myself when I was not defending my honor and integrity." She held out her right hand congenially. "Dr. Loren Davis."  
  
Max eyed her warily but took the proffered hand. There were several seconds of awkward silence before Max broke it. "Why did you help me? How did you know about the X-5s?"  
  
Loren's crystal blue eyes clouded for a moment as she pulled a stray chair over to Max's hospital bed. "You'll never know how lucky you were to have the other X-5s as your 'family' while you were in Manticore. One of the X-4s used to listen to you at night. He envied you your relationships...your love. After you escaped, he did his very best to follow in your footsteps." She paused, pushing back tears. "I never asked him how he escaped, it isn't really important. The only important thing, is that he *did* escape."  
  
"An X-4? When? Where is he?" The guarded look had vanished from Max's eyes. This man was a child of Manticore. Regardless of his number, he was still her brother.  
  
There was no hiding the sorrow in Lori's features. "Shortly after you did. I met him two years later when he attacked me in an alley." Carefully, she lowered the high neck of her shirt to reveal the scar. "The police caught him, but I refused to let them press charges. Instead, I had my mother adopt him. I knew what he was...and in a round about way I was responsible."  
  
"How?"  
  
"My father was the Department of Defense liason for the Manticore project. He raised government funding for their experiments. I knew he was an X-4, and I didn't care. He became my...best friend."  
  
"Where is he? Can I meet him?" Max's excitement was more subdued as she noticed the look on Lori's face.  
  
"I thought he was dead. I thought he died two years ago. If only. Manticore captured him. He's operational again."  
  
That knowledge hit Max like a punch to the gut. It completey winded her. "Those...."  
  
Loren held up a hand to stop her. "It's all right. He was, after all, only an X-4. He was barely human."  
  
"I'm glad you decided to listen to reason, Lori." Lydecker interrupted as he entered the room with gun at the ready. "You've done a remarkable job here."  
  
"What took you so long, Deck?" Loren demanded as she rose from her chair. "I called you half an hour ago and told you I could deliver the X-5. You were supposed to be here immediately!"  
  
"I was making arrangments."  
  
Lori rolled her eyes angrily.  
  
Logan sat stiffly in his chair, the betrayal of this situation etched onto every feature of his face. He had trusted Loren, and she had misplaced that trust. It had all been to this end. Loren had turned them in.  
  
Max was already trying to retaliate. However, she found her body would not cooperate with her commands.  
  
Lori smiled wickedly. "Sorry, I put a special drug of my own concoction in that IV drip. You won't be able to control your muscles well enough to fight for several hours. By then...you'll already be at Manticore and it will be too late."  
  


_Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com_  
  
  



	13. What's in a Name?--2012

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2012  
  
_**

Loren invited herself into her new 'brother's room and sat down on his bed. "So, now that the proceedings are complete...maybe you'll feel like telling me a little about yourself."  
  
The boy sat beside her, but fixed his eyes on the floor and shook his head. "Nope. Like I've been telling you for the past month, I haven't got a name. I haven't got a past. I'm nothing."  
  
Her heart broke. She knew how true that statement was. "Not anymore, you're not. The court made you my brother, and I'm making you my best friend...whether you like it or not." Gently, she turned his face up to hers. "Although, I think you'll like it." She added with a wink.  
  
There were tears in his chocolate brown eyes. "You can't keep me here."  
  
Lori stared at him with supreme confidence. "You'll stay."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"I know." She stated defiantly. "Let's see about a name shall we?" She asked after a moment's hesitation. Lori produced a baby name book, seemingly from thin air. She already had a name picked out, she just didn't want him to know it yet. "Hmmm...." She flipped through the book nonchalantly, aware of the young man's eyes upon her.  
  
She was giving him a name. She was giving him a family. X4-316 could hardly believe that this was real.   
  
"Nicholas!" Lori declared with a broad smile. "Nick for short."  
  
He bit his lower lip in thought. "Nicholas?"  
  
Lori nodded emphatically. "Yep. I think it suits you. You look like a Nick. I've always been partial to the name myself, don't you like it?" She cocked her head to the side questioningly.  
  
God! She looked so cute when she did that! He shook his head again. "No, no. I like it. Nick."  
  
Lori surprised him by wrapping him in a tight hug. The intensity of his emotions from that one touch were enough to make him forget his training. All of it. "Welcome to the family, Nick."  
  
Nick pulled back a little and grinned sheepishly. "Thanks."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  


  
_Nick tossed a few more items into the pillowcase he was carrying. He couldn't stay. He wanted to, but he just couldn't. Mrs. Davis had wanted him to get his hair cut today. She said he was 'unpresentable' in the shaggy cut he now sported. He had been trying to come up with a response when Loren had jumped in.  
  
"Mother! That's a horrible thing to say! I can't believe you! *I*'ll cut his hair this afternoon. I'm not going to let you turn him into one of those yacht club dorks you're always going on about! I'll trim it so its even, but he determines the length."  
  
His appreciation must have been evident in his eyes. Later that day, Loren sat him down on a chair in the bathroom and began to carefully trim down his wild hair. He was so relieved at being spared a trip to the barber's that he'd forgotten why he needed to avoid them.   
  
Loren lifted the back of his hair and paused. "Nick? You mind telling me why in the world you have a UPC code on your neck?" She asked incredulously.  
  
Nick froze. "I...They...It's a form of identification." He finally explained. He couldn't lie to her, even when he needed to.  
  
Lori's eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn't lied. "Sort of like a gang tattoo?" She asked finally. Nick nodded silently in reply. "Well, at least that explains why you wanted to avoid the barber. I'll take care of your hair from now on, don't worry."  
  
That had been one crisis averted, but there would be more. He just couldn't stay. He was heading silently to the front door when a noise to the left startled him. Nick was even more surprised when a light came on in the living room. Curiously, he poked his head in. There sat Loren with a pained look on her beautiful face. His mouth gaped open in shock. "Lori?"  
  
"Good evening, Nick. Don't tell me you were actually going to leave without saying good bye?" She asked with a sad tone.  
  
Nick swallowed. "I...I didn't think you'd care."  
  
"You know better than that, Nicholas. You know I care about you. If you wanted any of the things in that pillowcase, you only had to ask. But, you do at least owe me a goodbye." She pushed herself up from her seat and walked slowly across the living room. Loren stopped just in front of him. Her deep blue eyes staring intently into his dark brown ones. Slowly, she perched on her toes and placed her lips near his ear. "Good night, Nick. I'll see you in the morning." She whispered. Before she pulled away, she placed a delicate kiss on his cheek. Then, she went back upstairs to bed.  
  
Nick stood stone still for several minutes, the fire of that innocent kiss burning him to his core. His eyes flitted back to the empty staircase. With a sigh of resignation, he followed her lead and went back to bed._  
  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  
  


  
  



	14. Homecoming--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2020_**  


  
Max strugged against the shackles binding her wrists.   
  
"Stop struggling, 452. Those restraints were designed specifically for X5s. You're wasting your energy. You can't escape them." Lydecker announced with a sense of self importance. Finally, he had managed to capture one of the more elusive X5 runaways. Manticore could say whatever they liked about his past failures. With 452 and Loren, his safety and prestige were assured.  
  
"You can have me. Just let him go. Why do you even want him?" Max spat as she cast a wary glance at Logan.  
  
Lydecker followed her gaze and smiled cruelly. "Well, that was actually Loren's idea. You see, I merely wanted to poison you and haul you in for reprogramming. I would have done just that if she hadn't intercepted you at the hospital. I'm actually glad she did. Loren reminded me of your past insubbordination. She's actually an incredibly intuitive woman...so much like her father." He pulled himself from his memories with a laugh. "She suggested that we bring him along as a bargaining chip. You can withstand torture, we trained you for that. But, him...I don't think you'll last long in interrogation if he's the one suffering for your silence, do you?"  
  
"Go to Hell, Lydecker. She's not telling you a thing." Logan hissed from his own side of the transport plane.   
  
"We'll just see about that. 316, watch them. I'm checking with the pilots to see how much longer this is going to take." Lydecker commanded as he disappeared into the front cabin.  
  
"Yes, Sir." X4-316 saluted him and turned a blank gaze toward his prisoners.  
  
"Max, I'm sorry." Logan whispered. "I didn't know..."  
  
"It's all right. You couldn't have. You thought you could trust her. You did what you thought was right. We'll get out of this." Max tried to put on a strong face, but even she had to admit that their situation looked grim.  
  
"I just don't understand it." Logan continued in a perplexed tone. "The Loren Davis I remember would have never done something like this. She had a mischevious streak, but over all, Lori was an angel."  
  
Max and Logan were too involved in their conversation to notice the X4's reaction to Logan's comment. X4-316 closed his eyes firmly against the sudden pounding in his skull. 'Loren Davis...Lori was an angel.' Lori...Lori...Lori. The images flashed on his eyelids like scenes of a movie, but they were too fast to distinguish. He shook his head and forced his eyes open as Lydecker emerged from the cabin.   
  
"We'll be landing in thirty minutes."  
  


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RX turned away from the car window to stare at his foster mother. They'd been on the road for what seemed like an eternity. That afternoon, they had packed up a few suitcases and promised to follow Lydecker to the Manticore facility in Gillette, Wyoming. He didn't know how long they'd been driving, he just knew it felt like forever. "Lori?"  
  
She glanced at him before turning back to the road. "Yeah?"  
  
"You aren't mad at me, are you?" He asked hesitantly.  
  
"Why would I be mad?"  
  
"Because I told them Deck was your Godfather."  
  
Lori looked at him again and sighed. "It couldn't be helped. Besides, as it turns out, it doesn't matter anymore. Max and Logan are both on their way to Manticore. Who really cares if they know about my father's misplaced loyalties."  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing." RX mumbled.   
  
"If there was any other way, do you think I would have resorted to this?" Lori asked in exasperation.  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"I don't like hurting people, RX. I'm a doctor. I'm supposed to *heal.* But, I've got to take a chance this time."   
  
"Why?" The teenager watched her with an unsteady gaze. This was the woman he admired. The woman he loved like a mother. He had never dreamed she would resort to working for Manticore. Never.  
  
Lori closed her eyes before she remembered she was still driving. "He's alive, RX. All this time, I thought he was dead...and he's not. Nick is alive."  
  
The boy's stunned expression spoke volumes. "I thought you were bluffing when you told Max and Logan he was operational again. You weren't, were you?"  
  
"No." She pulled the car to the side of the highway and leaned her forehead against the steering wheel as the tears threatened to steal her vision from her. "They brainwashed him using *my* program."  
  
"Your program?" RX's eyes widened in shock. "You gave them Lethe? Loren!"  
  
"I gave it to Deck so I could gain Manticore's trust." Lori explained as she restrained her sobs. "Deck trusts me already, but Manticore hasn't forgotten about Nick. How could they?"  
  
"You wanted to work for Manticore all this time?" RX stared at her blankly. "Why did you keep turning them down?"  
  
"I couldn't seem to eager, RX. If I was, they would know something was wrong. I had to take it slowly. Give in just a little at a time. When we found Max, I knew I'd bided my time long enough. I knew Lethe would work. It would secure my position in Manticore. I didn't know he was alive. I didn't know they'd use it on Nick! He tried to attack me the other night, RX. He tried to mug me all over again."  
  
RX unbuckled his seatbelt and scooted across the seat to tentatively wrap his foster mother in a hug. He knew better than to speak. No words could console her now.  
  
"He apologized." Lori whispered, finally looking up to meet his gaze. "Nick actually apologized! Do you know what that means?"  
  
"Your brainwashing program didn't work. I thought it was foolproof?"  
  
Lori sighed and sat back against her car seat before she started the car and began driving again. "I thought it was, too." She answered after a time. "Lethe was named after the mythological Greek river of forgetfullness for a reason. The drug is supposed to build a chemical wall around old memories so they can no longer be accessed. He shouldn't be able to remember anything that happened after his childhood training. If it was anybody else, I would say it was impossible to beat the strength of that chemical compound. But...I know what Nick is capable of."  
  
"Is that why you turned Max in?" He inquired in a soft voice.  
  
"Yes. Before, I just wanted to work for the company. Together, you and I could have come up with a way to bring them down, to save the remaining Manticore kids. Nick changed everything. I can't leave him there."   
  
"We'll get him out, Lori. I don't know how. But, we'll find a way to save him. I promise." RX declared firmly.   
  
Lori actually smiled. "You know the last thing he said to me, RX?"  
  
"No, you don't talk about him much, and I don't like to bring it up."  
  
"He compared himself to Orpheus. He said, 'I'd go to Hell and back for one night with you Lori, you have to know that.' " She halted the car and pointed at a complex straight ahead. "It's ironic don't you think? *I* am actually the one venturing into Hell to get *him* back. I won't make Orpheus's mistake, though. No looking back. We're not leaving this place unless we have Nick with us."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


"Dr. Davis, welcome to Manticore." The man who comprised her welcoming party looked like a lab rat. His bald head was ringed by a layer of white hair; his blood shot brown eyes appeared a brilliant red; his sharp nose, small mouth, and bristly mustache made him appear to have whiskers. RX mumbled something about the rats of NIMH before Lori delivered a swift elbow to the teen's ribs.  
  
"Thank you, Dr...what did you say your name was?" Lori covered quickly.  
  
"Dr. Petruso, M'am. I'll be one of your main working associates here at Manticore."  
  
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Pete. Please call me Lori. Do we get to start with a grand tour?" She asked as she looked around the empty lobby.  
  
Petruso flinched at the pet name she had chosen for him, but he seemed too afraid of her to object to it. He bit his lower lip and frowned at the diminutive teenage boy standing beside her. "Most of our projects are classified..."  
  
"RX is trustworthy. You might actually find him a helpful resource. He's a regular computer genius."  
  
Although he seemed unhappy with the situation, Pete led her through the labyrinthian corridors of the Manticore facility on 'tour'. He was careful to point out the security keypads at each door. "You're going to be given a Q clearance. That means your password will lock all doors, except the red ones." He explained. "If you try to open the red doors with you password an alarm will sound at the main security office."  
  
"Where do you keep the soldiers?" RX forced an adolescent curiousity into his voice.  
  
Petruso sized him up before answering. "The barricks are in a separate building. We don't have much contact with them unless they need medical attention...and that doesn't happen often. Would you like me to show you to your rooms now?"  
  
"Actually, Pete, why don't you show RX our living quarters. I need to go track down Deck and see about making some arrangements. RX, honey, I'll meet you in the canteen in an hour, all right?"  
  
"Sure thing, mommy dearest." RX muttered with a roll of his eyes "Don't worry about me. I'll be just swell!"  
  
"Pete, you have my permission to subject that child to whatever medical tests you can dream up. He's a regular menace to society." Lori winked at the rodent of a doctor and left. She had carefully stored the layout of the building in her photographic memory as Petruso showed them around. She could easily remember the route to Lydecker's small office. She wrapped lightly on the door and entered unannounced. "So, how did things go?" She asked as she ensconced herself in a chair in front of his desk.   
  
Deck looked up from a paper he was filling out. "Pretty good, actually. 452 is going to be difficult, but your idea will help us crack her sooner."  
  
Lori grinned. "So, Donald Duck, is this going to get you your promotion?"   
  
Lydecker sat back in his chair and laughed. "You haven't called me that since you were nine."  
  
"I haven't had much oppurtunity to, Deck. When dad died..." She fell silent and looked away.  
  
Deck pushed up from his chair and walked around the desk to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Lori, I know you miss your father. I do, too. He was a good man. He saved my life in combat once...did I ever tell you that story?"  
  
"At least a hundred times."  
  
"Want to make it one hundred and one?"  
  
Lori shook her head and ventured to look into her Godfather's eyes. "I want to see X4-316."  
  
Deck stiffened. "I can't do that, Lori. I'm sorry. I can't. It just wouldn't be wise."  
  
"Why? Deck, I told you that it was all a big mistake. I had no idea he was an X4. I was deceived. I was lied to. Hell, Deck, you could even say that...that thing raped me! Physically and emotionally. I want closure. I want to know that...monster is never going to bother me again." Lori was struck by the deja vu of that comment and almost laughed out loud. Instead, she added a more desparate note to her voice. "Please. It will be the perfect test for Lethe. If he doesn't remember me, than my drug really works. You know I'm right."  
  
Lydecker puzzled over her observation for a moment and sighed. "Go eat some breakfast and I'll set up a meeting with him for this afternoon. Just don't make me regret this, Loren."  
  
Lori jumped from her chair and hugged him. "I won't, Deck. You can trust me."  
  
  


_Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com_  
  



	15. The Journal--2014

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2014_**  


_  
Loren tapped on Nick's bedroom door. No response. "Hey, Keats, you going to let me edit that latest English essay or what?" She asked as she opened the door. His room was empty. "He must not be back from the gym." She mused. That man spent more time lifting weights than anyway she knew. Of course, she couldn't say that the effects weren't well worth it. His muscles were so well defined that they were easily displayed in even the most conservative of suits. She smiled to herself as she crossed the room to find the essay on his desk. She would get a head start on proof reading it. Knowing him, there would be quite a few mistakes.   
  
Lori lifted up a stack of books and began to shuffle through the papers beneath them. Thud! She jumped as a black and white mottled Composition Book landed on the carpet. The pages fluttered by as she bent to retrieve it. '_God help me, I think I love her._' Lori froze. The sentence had jumped out at her from the page. Feeling guilty, she picked the book up and sat down on the edge of his chair. A cursory examination of the notebook proved that it was some sort of journal. Although she knew it was wrong, she could not tear her eyes from the page.   
  
' _I've always felt it since the first time she looked at me with those eyes. But, it's gotten so much worse as time goes by. I can't look at her now without feeling my heart skip a beat. She takes my breath away. I love her. I know I do. It kills me to think that I can never tell her how I feel. God, I want to hold her just once. I want to kiss her just one time before I die_.'   
  
Lori swallowed hard, feeling the flush of her cheeks. Nick was in love! With whom? The question didn't strike her as odd, but the jealousy beginning to ignite within her left her a bit confused. Why on earth was she jealous of Nick's crush? "Maybe because you'd like to be the object of his affection." She suggested aloud to herself. Nick? Did she really have feelings for the boy she'd considered a friend for the past two years? In some ways, it seemed all wrong; but in other ways, it made perfect sense. "Do I love him?" She asked herself softly.   
  
There was no longer a question of right or wrong. She needed to know who Nick had fallen in love with. Her eyes scanned the remaining paragraphs looking for any indication of identity. '_She's so beautiful. Everything about her exudes warmth and kindness. When I look at her, I want to pull her into my arms and never let her go. At the same time, I am so painfully aware of the scarves, turtle necks, and chokers she's forced to wear to hide her scar from the world. How could I have so hurt the only woman I've ever loved?'_   
  
"Lori?" Nick's voice startled her from the doorway. She tried to hide the notebook, but knew there was no point in it.  
  
"Nick! I...I was looking for your English essay." She explained, guiltly putting his journal back on his desk.  
  
"Well, *that*'s not my essay." He informed her with a hard tone. She failed to see the hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, Nick. I really am sorry. I shouldn't have read it. It was wrong...but Nick?" Lori paused, building her courage. "I...I love you, too."  
  
Nick's frown deepened into a scowl. "No, Loren, you don't. You don't know a thing about me. If you knew about my past..."  
  
Loren sized him up for a moment before she walked over to his bed, sat down, and patted the seat beside her. Once he complied, she gently took his hands in hers. "Nick, I know everything. That barcode isn't a gang tattoo, it's what Manticore used to identify you. You were an X-4, a genetically engineered soldier meant to fight wars so others didn't have to. I don't know how you escaped, but I'm glad you did. I know what you are, and I still love you."  
  
Nick's expression went from shock, to relief, and finally settled on anger. "How? How do you know that?" He asked in a whisper.  
  
"My father was Five Star General Matthew Davis with the Department of Defense. He was the military liason for Manticore. He...He helped them get funding for their experiments." Lori shivered. "I'm sorry, Nick. I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you'd leave. I was afraid that you would think I was only being nice to you as a way to atone for my father's sins. That wasn't why I did it, Nick. I did it because I saw an abused teenager who had the potential to one day become a truly wonderful man. I love you. I need you. Please, don't leave..." Her quivering voice was suddenly muffled by the feeling of soft, warm lips pressing against her own. She felt one strong arm wrap around her waist and pull her close to his tautly muscled chest. His other hand snaked up to cradle the back of her head and ensure that their first kiss would continue until he decided to release her.   
  
Lori melted in his embrace. Oh yes, she loved him. She couldn't doubt it anymore. When he pulled away to catch his breath, she pushed his head back down to her own with a little giggle.  
  
When they finally broke contact, Nick left his arms around her and pulled her as close to him as he could. "I don't care why you did what you did, Loren. I'm just glad you did it. You gave me everything I could have ever wanted. No, you gave me more. I love you more than anything in this world."  
  
Lori placed one hand against his chest and pushed herself back to look at him. "Where's your english essay, anyway?" She asked with a mischevious smile.  
  
"I, uh, haven't written it yet. I'm having trouble with the story." He admitted with a flush.  
  
"You've come to the right place, my love. What's the story?"  
  
"Orpheus." He leaned over and plucked the book from his bedside table.   
  
"A love story? How appropriate! I'll help you with it...and if you're a good boy, I might be persuaded to reward you for studying so hard."  
  
Nick grinned evily and pinned her against the bed with another kiss.   
  
_


	16. Karma--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  


  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2020_**  


  
  
"All right, Lori," Lydecker shielded the keypad and typed his password. "I'm going to be watching the entire thing from a camera in the observation area. Feel free to do whatever you like to try and bring back his memory. We want to know if Lethe works, and we all agree that you're the best test of its efficiency. If you want to pull out for any reason, just signal the camera."  
  
Lori nodded. "I can do this, Deck. I *need* to do this."  
  
"Be careful." Lydecker warned as he gestured to the opened door.   
  
Loren swallowed hard and entered the drab cell. Her breath caught in her throat. There, seated not ten feet away from her, was the man she had believed dead for two years. Her husband.   
  
She wanted to run to him, to throw herself into his arms and never let him go. It was difficult, but she managed to restrain herself. She remained silent until she had taken a seat beside him on the bed. The man never moved. "Nick? Can you hear me?" She whispered.  
  
316 watched his visitor with a curious stare. She was the one he was supposed to have killed. He'd failed. Why was she here now? Why was she calling him 'Nick?' "I am X4-316...not Nick." He stated simply.  
  
"I named you Nick, baby. Although, I never told you why. It means 'victorious'. You may not have killed me, love. But you were victorious...you stole my heart."  
  
His gaze blanked for a moment as the pounding in his head started up again. Nick...Lori...Nick...Lori...Nick...Lori.   
  
Lori glanced at the camera and leaned into him, positioning her lips near his ear and taking his right hand in her own. She whispered to him as softly as she dared. "Nick, I don't know if you can understand what I'm saying to you...but here it goes anyway. I'm going to get you out of here, my love. They trust me. They think I'm on their side. I don't really know how I'm going to get you out yet..." Her whisper halted as she felt something. Nick's finger was hitting her palm in a discernable pattern. Morse Code. 'U know better. Need plan.'  
  
It took every bit of Lori's self control not to kiss him right there. She couldn't let her excitement show. They had to think Lethe worked. In that same soft voice she continued. "You're right, I need a plan. I'm a doctor, not a soldier. I don't know the first thing about combat. I'll figure something out. I'm sure I will. I got here didn't I?"  
  
'How?'  
  
Lori hesitated. "Well...that poses a problem, Love. We have to get an X5 and a civilian out in the process."  
  
'Lori, not good.'  
  
"Don't take that patronizing tone with me, Nick! I'm doing my best here. Up until a few days ago I thought you were dead. And, if I don't stop whispering to you, they're going to know something is up."  
  
'They cannot know.'  
  
"You're right. They'd kill us both. Give me some time. I'll find some reason to see you again, Nick. I swear. We can come up with something. I know we can."  
  
'We better.'  
  
Lori pulled away from him and sobbed. "Nick! What have they done to you? Baby, please come back to me. Baby?"  
  
The door buzzed as it opened. Lydecker walked in with a grim expression on his face. "X4-316, report." He commanded.  
  
316 snapped to attention. "She revealed to me that she was pretending to be loyal to Manticore in order to help me escape, Sir. She never planned on working here, and she wanted to help the X5 and civilian escape as well."  
  
Lori's face fell. It had been a trick. All of it. All this time she'd thought she was playing them for fools...and they'd been playing her. "Deck?" Her eyes lifted to his imploringly.   
  
"I'm sorry, Lori. I knew you weren't over him. You loved him. You still do. What do you expect from me, Lori? You were going to help 316, 452, and the civilian escape from this lab knowing it might cost me my life. You apparently care nothing for your godfather, how can you expect me to care about you?"  
  
"I never did, you heartless bastard!" She lunged at him, managing to rake her fingernails across his cheek before 316 pulled her loose. "I know what you did. You're a murderer, Deck! I know what was in those vitamins you gave me!"  
  
"X4-316, take her to her cell. We'll deal with her later."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


Loren didn't struggle in his grip, she knew better. She'd gone up against this man once before and had a scar on her throat to prove it. He knew how to fight. "Nick, darling, I know you're still in there. You have to be. They can wipe your memory clean, but they can't wipe away your love for me. I love you, Honey. I love you. You know I do. I'd do anything for you. Please...Nick, you've got to remember."  
  
"You're wasting your breath." 316 interrupted. "I have my orders and I intend to carry them out. Nothing you say is going to change that."  
  
Lori could no longer hold back her tears. "I'm not wasting my breath, Nick. I love you. Nothing you ever do will change that. This isn't you talking. I know it isn't." Surprisingly, she managed to shift in his arms and look him in the eye. "You're still in there somewhere. I need you, Nick. I can't do this on my own."  
  
316 hesitated for an instant and turned her back around. "Stop calling me Nick."  
  
"No. That's your name. Don't you remember the X5s? Don't you remember Max, Tinga, Zac...Don't you remember?"  
  
316 twisted her arm more painfully behind her back. "Oh, I remember plenty. In fact...why don't I let you and Max get better acquainted. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about." He answered with a sneer as he tossed Lori into a dark cell.  
  
Lori didn't bother to sit up. Instead, she curled into a ball on the floor and started crying hysterically.  
  
"What the...? Loren!" Max's furious voice echoed through the empty room. "You better have a good explanation for this or I'm going to kick your ass!"  
  
"Kill me, Max." She wailed. "Just kill me. I failed Nick...and you...and Logan...and RX...and...and..."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Lori pushed herself up. "I married that X4 I was telling you about. I married him. I love him. I love him more anything in this world. I thought he was dead, Max!" She managed to explain the entire situation to Max between sobs.  
  
Max sat down beside her on the floor. "You should have told us, Lori. Logan and I would have helped you get him out. You didn't have to do this."  
  
"I don't care if I die. Life without Nick is worse than death...I just don't want you to end up like him." Lori started crying again.  
  
Max hesitated. People didn't go into hysterical crying fits around her very often, and she was uncomfortable. "It's all right." Max whispered, finally putting an arm around Loren's shaking shoulders. "We're going to get out of here. I don't know how, yet. But, you, me, Logan, Nick, and that little pervert son of yours are going to get out of here. Manticore hasn't beaten me yet, do you think I'm going to let them start now?"  
  
  
  



	17. Engaging Business-2015

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2015_**  


  
Nick led Loren by the hand to a park bench over looking the Puget Sound. At one time, it must have been beautiful. Seated here with him, she could almost see it in all its past magnificence. Lori snuggled in a bit closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder.   
  
Nick wrapped on arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly. In all of his dreams, in all of his fantasies, he had never once thought his life would turn out quite like this. Loren was more than he had ever hoped for. Carefully, he slipped from beside her and knelt on the ground near her feet. "Lori, my love, I...I never knew the world could be such a beautiful place until I set eyes on you. I did not think it possible, but Beauty has once again tamed the Beast. I love you more than simple words could ever hope to express. There is only one thing of which I am completely certain. I love you, and I could not hope to survive in this world without you. I don't deserve you, Lori. I never have...but more than anything, I want you to be my wife."  
  
Lori's eyes widened in complete surprise. "Nick...I...I...I..." The words were a maelstrom in her mind, confusing her thoughts so that she could barely think. Instead, she simply melted into tears on that park bench.  
  
"I hope those are happy tears." Nick whispered as he wiped them away with his hand.  
  
"Not really." She sighed. "I haven't been honest with you, Nick. I should have been...but I just couldn't make myself tell you."  
  
"Tell me what?" He asked cautiously as he sat back down on the bench.  
  
Lori looked around nervously. "My mother and father wanted children horribly. They tried for years to get pregnant...but never succeeded. My mother was barren. My father hid that fact from her and tried to seek out some solution to her problem. Then...the X1 fiasco occurred at Manticore. He hatched a plan that couldn't fail. My father went to Dr. Sandeman late one night and issued an ultimatum. He would convince the Defense Department to withdrawl funding unless Sandeman agreed to use his genius in genetic engineering to help my mother and father have the daughter of their dreams. Sandeman agreed, how could he not?"   
  
Nick's face blanched. Was she suggesting what he thought she was suggesting?  
  
Swallowing hard, Lori continued. "They actually worked for years collecting the DNA and designning the daughter my father fantasized about. She had to be petite, black hair, blue eyes, a genius IQ, an affinity for science, and a heart bigger than her intelligence. The insemination took several tries before the fetus took. Nine months later...I was born. I found out when I was twelve. When I confronted my father about it, he ran. He committed suicide that night. So, here I sit. A Frankenstein's monster. A freak of nature. A 'never meant to be.' My father's idea of perfection in a human package." She once again sank into sobs.  
  
Nick immediately wrapped her in his strong embrace and crushed her against him. "Shhh! I never, never want to hear you say that again! You were created out of love, Lori. Maybe you're genes weren't combined by nature...but they were still designed out of love, a love for you and your mother. Do you really think so little of me? Do you really think that story is going to keep me from loving you?" Gently, he lifted her tear streaked face to his own. "I love you, Lori. I don't care who made you or why. I just know that you were made for me. You are perfect for me. I love you. Now, you never answered my question. Will you marry me?"  
  
Lori smiled through her tears and nodded. "Of course. There is nothing in this world that would make me happier."  



	18. Execution--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2020_**  


  
"Watch it, G.I. Joe!" RX shouted as a guard threw him into his cell. "I got better service in Juvie you dumb ass!" He squinted into the darkness of his new prison. "Man, Lori, you really screwed up this time."  
  
"Did she turn on you, too?" A bitter voice asked from one corner of the room.  
  
RX spun to face Logan. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"I don't? She claimed she was going to *help* Max. Do you call turning her into Manticore *helping* her?"   
  
"Shit, Logan, she's been mourning her husband for two years. A couple of days ago, she finds out the guy is alive and kicking. She's so in love with that man...X4...whatever that she wasn't thinkin' straight. It ain't her fault. She's one of them hopeless romantics who believes that love conquers all. How can I tell her that that stuff's all shit?"  
  
Logan wheeled himself into the light and stared at RX. "Are you telling me she did all of this to get her husband back?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
He hung his head in his hands. "Why didn't she just ask? I would have helped her, and we wouldn't have ended up in this mess!"  
  
"Like I said, hombre, she wasn't thinkin' straight." RX muttered.   
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"My best guess? Lori told too many lies, and they bit her in the ass. We're going to have to do something about it, though. You and Max have a little while before you face the firing squad, but Lori's and my days numbered. We're no good to them now. And, I don't think Lydecker's gonna be of much assistance."  
  
"I'm not sure I'll be of much help to you, RX." Logan sighed. "I'm not really much help to anyone in situations like this."  
  
RX raised an eyebrow. "You're shittin' me right? You're tellin' me 'Eyes Only' can't get out of a little old jail cell. Shit, I'm disappointed."  
  
"I'm not 'Eyes Only.' " Logan answered quickly.  
  
"Yeah, right, and I ain't a thirteen year old Mexican American with a Juvenile record longer than _Moby Dick_." RX muttered as he sat down on the floor and began untying his shoelaces. " 'Eyes Only' is my hero, Logan. I didn't see it at first, but I recognize your eyes now. You *are* Eyes Only. Deny it all you want. I don't care. Frankly, I'd be disappointed if you didn't." With a soft declaration of triumph RX removed his tennis shoe and began picking at the sole.  
  
"What are you doing?" Logan's curiousity got the better of him as he wheeled closer to the teenager.  
  
"This." RX declared as he pulled the plastic free of the shoe to reveal a small array of tools and implements. "When you're paranoid, its best to be prepared for anything. I figure between my criminal mastermind and your area of expertise, we can get out of this here cell in a matter of no time."  
  
"I think I could actually start to like you, RX."  
  
"I'm a lovable guy."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


Lori watched through tear dimmed eyes as the prison door swung open. She'd been expecting it. Max was busy plotting their escape...but Lori knew. She knew they'd be coming to kill her soon. She knew they wouldn't wait long. Truthfully, she wanted to die. Life held no meaning for her any longer.   
  
X4-316 stepped into the cell accompanied by two other armed guards. "Dr. Davis, you're coming with me."  
  
Lori nodded sadly. "I'd follow you anywhere, Nick. You know that."  
  
Max's eyes darted to the soldier. "That's Nick."  
  
"Yes, this my husband."  
  
"Come on." He yanked her arm roughly out the door. She didn't care anymore. She just kept whispering, "I love you," over and over again as they walked.  
  
Finally, they stopped inside a brightly lit, empty room. 316 held her firmly in place as Lydecker examined her from head to foot. "You've brought this all upon yourself, Lori."  
  
"Yeah, right, Deck. I know." She was getting some of her will power back. Just seeing this man made her remember why she needed to live. She couldn't let him win. "You can tell the android to let me go. I can't escape. Not by myself. Not with all these guards."  
  
Lydecker waved his hand at 316. Immediately, he dropped his hold on her and fell into an 'at ease' stance by Lydecker's side. "I can't believe you're willing to die for this, Loren."  
  
"You took him from me, Deck. My joy. My heart. My life. They were all erased the day you erased his memory. I would rather die than live without my husband."  
  
"Do you even know what this man did?" Lydecker asked. Lori stared at him, but did not reply. "You were told your father committed suicide when you were twelve. He didn't, Lori. Your father was going to tell the Defense Department about the X5 escape. He was going to compromise our security. We had been training one of the X4s to work as an assasin. So, we told him to kill you father. He carried through with the objective and escaped later that night. Do you know who that X4 was?"  
  
Lori blanched. "No! I don't believe you. Nick would have told me. He would have never kept that from me."  
  
"You really think so, Lori? You really think he was willing to risk your relationship by telling you that he was your father's murderer?" Lydecker smiled triumphantly. "Now you have to understand why I took him from you. He would have only hurt you in the end, Loren."  
  
"You're wrong." Lori whispered. "Nick would never hurt me. He loves me."  
  
"He'll do whatever I tell him to do." As if to illustrate, Lydecker unstrapped his sidearm and handed it to X4-316. "Kill her."  
  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  



	19. News--2017

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2017_**  


  
_ Lori hung up the phone slowly. She was still in complete shock over the news that had just been delivered to her. She lowered herself into a chair and stared at her hands. "I don't believe it. I just...I don't believe it." She whispered over and over to herself. Finally, the hint of a smile played at her lips. "This is...this is...this is wonderful!" She picked up a cushion and squeezed it tightly.  
  
"Lori?" Nick followed the sound of his wife's voice to the living room. "Honey, who was that on the phone?"  
  
"Hmm..." Loren looked up at him. She was still lost in her own thoughts and not completely comprehending what he'd asked.  
  
"Honey, who was that on the phone?" Nick repeated patiently.  
  
"Oh...Oh! It's just...Oh, Nick, I have fantastic news!"   
  
Nick took at a seat across from her, his face grim. "Then, maybe you should let me go first and get the bad news out of the way."  
  
"Bad news?" Lori's face fell. "What bad news?"  
  
"Lori...Darling, I love you more than anything, more than life itself. You know that don't you?" Lori nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak. "Lori, it's been seven years since the X5s escaped from Manticore. I don't expect you to understand, but I need to find them. I need to know they're all right."  
  
Lori stared at him blankly. "I understand. You're leaving. You're going to go risk your life and your freedom to find people you've never actually met. I understand, Nick." She responded bitterly.  
  
"Lori, please don't be like this. I know it sounds stupid, but they *are* still my family. If I'm ever going to be able to settle down here with you, I have to know that they all turned out okay."  
  
"And Manticore? What happens if they find you? What happens if they catch you...kill you?"  
  
"They won't." Nick assured her as he rubbed her knee tenderly. "There isn't a force on this earth that could keep me away from you. Listen, I won't go if you don't want me to."  
  
Lori shook her head quickly. "No! I'm not going to be the one to make a decision like that. I'm not going to live the next fifty years with you and know that I'm the reason you never had peace of mind. You're going. I just pray you come back in one piece....When are you leaving?"  
  
"As soon as possible." They sat in silence for several seconds. "What's the good news, Sweetheart?"  
  
"I..." Lori bit into her lower lip. "Why don't we let that wait until you come home?"  
  
"If that's what you want." Nick stood up from his chair and left the room to pack.  
  
Lori squeezed the cushion against her. "Nick...you're going to be a father." She whispered into the emptiness of the room as her tears of joy became tears sorrow.  
  
_


	20. Revival--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2017_**  


  
Loren stood just a little straighter and kept her gaze trained upon her husband. She still believed in her heart that he would never hurt her. No matter what.  
  
X4-316 leveled the gun at Lori's chest as he aimed. Slowly, his gaze drifted up to meet hers. What he saw there startled him. Blue eyes filled with forgiveness...and unconditional love. He was going to kill her, and she didn't seem to care.  
  
"Do I get any last words, Deck?" She asked without the slightest hint of fear.  
  
Lydecker sighed. "I suppose so. But, you're just delaying the inevitable."   
  
"I love you, Nick." Lori whispered. "I love you more than anything in this world. I wanted to tell you before you left, but I knew you'd want to stay. So...I kept it a secret. I didn't tell you. I...I...I was pregnant when you left to look for the X5s." There were tears in her eyes as she continued. "I lost the baby, Nick."  
  
X4-316 remained steady, his gun pointed at Lori's chest. There was not even a tremor to his features. Nick was gone.  
  
"You can kill me now." She declared in a sorrow filled voice. If nothing else, Nick would be the last thing she saw before she died. "I'll be waiting for you in Heaven with our son, Nick. I love you."  
  
"Kill her, X4-316."  
  
316 checked his aim and pulled the trigger.  


  
X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


RX barely had time to hide his tools as the prison door swung open and two guards entered. Without a word, they pulled Logan roughly out of his chair and dragged him to the door.  
  
The teenager balled his fists at his sides angrily. "Let him go." He hissed.  
  
The guard glanced back at the scrawny teenager and raised an amused eyebrow. "What did you say to me?"  
  
"I said, let him go." RX reiterated in a steady voice. "Don't you speak English, Freak?"  
  
The guard snorted. "And, what are you going to do if we don't 'let him go?' "  
  
"RX." Logan warned, effectively interrupting the teenager before he went off on a verbal tirade that would have undoutedly gotten him killed. "Don't. I'll be all right."  
  
RX slouched and didn't bother to look up as the door swung shut on his cell. He was alone.  


  
X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


316 pulled the trigger, and Lori began to see everything happening in slow motion. The bullet missed her by a few inches and struck the side of the door she had just entered. With lightning speed, he grabbed Lydecker around the neck roughly. "My name is Nick, and don't you ever forget it!" He hissed.  
  
Lori's eyes widened even as she gasped her surprise. "Nick!" She squeeled.  
  
"See, Deck, *she* knows my name." He pushed the muzzle of the gun to Lydecker's temple and smiled over at his wife. "Yes, sweetheart, it's really me this time."  
  
Her brow furrowed as she took a step back. "Is it?" She asked warily.   
  
"Don't get me wrong, but this isn't the time for your faith in me to lapse. If we're going to make it out of Hell alive, Eurydice, we're going to have to move fast and think even faster." Nick explained tightening his hold around Lydecker's neck.  
  
Lori bit into her lower lip. "That was an Orpheus reference, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it was." He grinned. "And, will you stop doing that lip thing already! God, Lori, you have to know how cute you look when you do that. You're drivin' me crazy over here!"  
  
"Boy oh boy, have I missed you." She responded with a laugh.  
  
"I've missed you, too, baby. But, I have to insist that we put our feelings aside until we're safe and away from here."  
  
Lori nodded. "What's the plan?"  
  
Nick looked away for a minute and shrugged sheepishly. "I...uh...don't really have one at the moment."  
  
Lori giggled. "Than be glad I do, my love."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


Nick took a few calming breaths before he left the safety of the room. This wasn't going to be easy. He had to concentrate to make himself look more like X4-316 than Nick Davis. It had to be apparent to everyone that he was only pretending. Strangely enough, no one seemed to notice the difference.  
  
Nick stopped cold and kept his eyes trained on something just ahead of him. Movement. He frowned and continued to walk toward the person near the end of the hallway. Apparently, the young man didn't know that he had been seen. He was crouched in the shadows of a doorway, no doubt praying that Nick would turn and walk the other way.   
  
The distance between Nick and the youth closed quickly. Effortlessly, he lifted the young man up by the collar and held him, dangling, before his eyes.   
  
RX kicked out his legs and struggled desperately to free himself. "Let me go! Let me go!" He screeched. He was surprised when his captor covered his mouth to dull his shouts fo help. It was only then that the teen took a closer look at the man standing in front of him. His eyes grew large with recognition.  
  
"Are you going to be quiet now?" Nick asked in a soft voice.  
  
RX bobbed his head. The moment Nick removed his hand, the young man was whispering hurriedly. "You're him. You're Nick. You're Lori's husband, right? Where is she? Is she all right? Are you all right? Do you remember anything?"  
  
Nick sighed and covered RX's mouth again. "Yes. My name is Nick. I'm Lori's husband. She's fine. I'm fine, and I remember everything. Now, in ten words or less...who are you?"  
  
"RX, I'm Lori's foster son and partner in crime." RX explained simply.  
  
"Lori and her big heart. You must be one of the two civilians we have to save. Mind telling me how you got of your cell to cower the halls like that?"   
  
"I wasn't cowering! I rewired the electronic lock on my prison cell. The door opened automatically. It's a piece of cake." The teenager couldn't help but grin with pride at his accomplishment.  
  
Nick seemed impressed. "Then, maybe you would be interested in helping me get something from the lab for Lori?"  
  
"I'd do anything for Lori."  
  
"That makes two of us. Come on." Nick kept an iron grip on RX's arm as he led the teen through the corridors of the Manticore complex. A few individuals cast them an interested glance as they passed by, but none seemed willing to question their presence. Perhaps the scientific staff had simply learned not to pose unneccessary questions to the soldiers and the security of Manticore. "All right, RX, do you see that camera?" RX followed Nick's finger and nodded as the camera swept by the lab door. "It pans the length of the hallway every two and a half minutes. That's how long you're going to have to hotwire that door. If you can't do it, you better tell me now."  
  
RX frowned at the camera. "Don't diss me, Man. I can do it in one and a half easy."  
  
"I'll make sure no one walks by until you're done. On my mark." Nick whispered, watching the camera swing past them. "Go." He delivered a swift push to the teen's back.  
  
RX bolted across the hallway and stopped in front of the lab door. With only a swiss army knife to facilitate him, he pried the plastic cover off and began to scan the wires and circuits underneath. Humming to himself, RX began cutting, twisting, and reattaching several wires. The door buzzed. He smiled with satisfaction as he propped it open with his foot and returned the wires he'd relocated to their proper place. One wave at Nick signaled his completion of the task...in one and half minutes exactly.  
  
Nick followed RX into the lab and scanned the vast room nervously. There were several scientists working on various projects. None of them seemed to care about the door or who had just entered through it. Nick gently pushed RX onto the ground behind a counter and strode off to the center of the room. "Dr. Petruso?"  
  
Startled, the mouse-like man looked up from his microscope. "Yes?"  
  
"I have an order signed by Col. Lydecker that needs to be filled ASAP." He handed the doctor a piece of paper. The doctor looked at it, frowned, glanced up at Nick, shrugged, and marched off to a supply cabinet. He returned with a small bag.  
  
"Are you sure the Colonel wanted this?"  
  
"Are you questioning my ability to follow orders, Doctor?" Nick asked with a hard tone.  
  
Dr. Petruso paled. "Um...No, no, not at all 316."  
  
Nick took the bag from the doctor's hand and walked slowly back across the lab. He stopped at the door and turned around to make sure that no one was watching. RX jumped up from his hiding place and hurried out the door in front of Nick.   
  
When the men were safely on their way back to Lori, RX ventured a look at the bag Nick was carrying. "What's in that, anyway? What did she need so badly out of the lab?"  
  
Nick appeared to consider his response before speaking. "It's Lethe, and it's for Lydecker."   


  



	21. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?--2017

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**_2017_**  


  
_Lori stood in front of her bathroom mirror, holding up her shirt. Her once flat abdomen had swelled with the life growing inside it. The firm curve of her stomach had not yet extended far enough to be too noticable if she wore baggy clothing, but it was certainly large enough for Lori. "Don't you worry. Daddy will be home soon...I hope." The ring of the doorbell startled her. "Coming!" She called as she dropped her shirt back into place and smoothed it down as best she could.   
  
"Deck!" Lori forced a cheerful note to her voice as she threw her arms around her godfather. "How long has it been?"  
  
"Six years." Lydecker pulled away from the hug with a startled expression. "Apparently, that's much longer than I thought." He stated with a curious glance towards her stomach.  
  
Lori blushed. "Um...yeah. I'm five months pregnant."  
  
"That's wonderful news. Congratulations!" He offered her another warm hug. "Whose the lucky father?"  
  
"My husband. We...uh...didn't really do the whole wedding thing. It was just the two us and a Justice of the Peace. Oh! I'm sorry. Nick is away...on business. You'll have to drop by some other time if you want to meet him." Lori explained quickly.  
  
"He left his pregnant wife at home while he went on a business trip?" Lydecker asked with a disapproving frown. "That seems irresponsible."  
  
"Don't, Deck. I don't want to hear it." Lori retorted as she led him into the living room. "There's a reason why I've been avoiding you for years. I don't need a father or a godfather. I'm prefectly capable of taking care of myself."  
  
Lydecker didn't sit down but moved around the room looking at pictures on the wall and mantle. "Is this Nick?" He asked holding a picture up.  
  
Lori glanced at it and nodded absently.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lori. I know you're a grown woman. Hell, here in another four months you'll have your own child to take care of. I was just in Seattle and thought I'd check in on you. That's all."  
  
"Thank you." Lori still felt uneasy about his presence, but couldn't pinpoint exactly why.  
  
"How long will Nick be gone?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Until his business is done I suppose."  
  
"Then you need someone to help you out around here. A pregnant woman should not be completely dependent upon herself. Please, Lori let me help you. I promised your father I would." Lydecker turned to her with a look in his eyes that seemed almost sincere.  
  
"All right." She agreed grudingly. "You can help out...but only until the baby is born or Nick gets back. Whichever comes first."  
  
"Good....I think the first thing we should do is get you on some prenatal vitamins. We want to make sure you and that baby are healthy."  
  
_


	22. The River of Forgetfulness--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**2020**_  
_

  
  
"Lori, do you even know how to use a gun?" Lydecker asked snidely. Loren sat on the floor across from him with a pistol trained on his head as they awaited Nick's return.  
  
"Um...Like do I like press that like little levery doobob, and like the bullety thingies like come out the like hole, right?" She asked in her best valley girl. Lori sighed irritably and glared at him. "First of all, Deck, this a semiautomatic, magazine-fed Beretta pistol *not* a gun. I thought you knew that. And, yes, I do know how to use it. I have perfect aim. I lived with an X4 for six years. There are very few forms of self defense he didn't teach me. Nick's a worrier." She paused, running her thumb along the grip of the gun. "Why did you do it, Deck? Why did you put poison in those vitamins? Why did you kill my baby?"  
  
"You couldn't have that child, Loren. Manticore would have taken her from you. Don't you understand the potential one of your offspring would have? Your daughter would have had the abilities of an X4 and the IQ of Albert Einstein. That's a dangerous combination."  
  
"Or a fruitful one. If, say, you were to train her to be a soldier like the others." She spat. "You killed my baby, Deck. Is that really your excuse, because its pitiful. I should shoot you now."  
  
"I only did what I knew your father would have done." Lydecker answered simply.  
  
Lori's eyes narrowed. "I don't doubt it. I wouldn't put it past that man to kill his grandson because he was the spawn of an X4. You killed my son, Deck. I can never, never forgive you for that."  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


"All right, 452, one more time. Where are the others?"  
  
"Go to Hell." Max hissed. She had to avert her gaze when they applied the electricity to Logan once again. She couldn't give in. Wouldn't give in. Logan didn't want her to. She could see that much in his eyes. Still...what would she do if they actually threatened to kill him.  
  
"Are you really willing to sacrifice this friend to save the rogue X5s, 452? I don't think he'll last much longer."  
  
Max caught Logan's gaze and held it. He was so much stronger than she had previously imagined. They could break all the bones they wanted, but Max had a feeling that they could never hope to break Logan's spirit.  
  


X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  


Nick stood just inside the room in front of the closed door, holding RX by the shoulders. Lori didn't notice him there until it was too late. How much had he heard? "Hey, baby, look what the cat dragged in." Nick greeted with his usual smile. God, how she'd missed that smile.  
  
"RX! I knew there wasn't a computer or electrical system built that could hope to stump you." Lori handed the gun off to Nick who took up guarding Lydecker. "I take it you boys have already met."  
  
RX nodded and handed her the bag they'd retreived from the lab. "Yep. Nick found me in the hallway. I helped him get that."  
  
"Great!" Lori pulled the items out of the bag and ran over a mental inventory. "Okay, Deck, this is how its going to work. You are going to help me, RX, Nick, 452, and her friend escape from this hell hole of yours. And this is why." Without another word, she measured a pale blue liquid into a syringe. Carefully, she slid the needle into Lydecker's arm and depressed the stopper until every last drop was gone. "We have twenty-four hours to stop the effects of the Lethe retro-virus." She stated with a cruel smile.  
  
Lydecker's eyes grew wide with fright. "You gave me Lethe! There is no way to reverse that, Lori!"  
  
Loren quirked an eyebrow. "Do you really think I'd give Manticore a brainwashing program without having a way to counteract its effects? Granted, there is a minor catch. You only have twenty-four hours after the virus is introduced in which you can administer the bactrophage...And, just so you don't get any wise ideas, I'm the only one with a bactrophage capable of killing Lethe. Those men in your labs could never come up with one in time."  
  
"In time?" Lydecker gulped and stared at the empty needle in her hand.  
  
"I gave you enough Lethe to ruin your long and short-term memory. In forty-eight hours, you will be reduced to a mindless vegetable, Deck. You will forget everything; your name, how to speak, how to write, how to walk, how to control your bodily functions. Everything."  
  
Nick and RX turned to look at each other in shock. Neither of them had thought Lori capable of an act that despicable. She was ready to wipe her godfather's mind clean if he didn't help them escape. Nick visibly paled. More had happened to his wife in the last two years than he could ever hope to understand.   
  
"If I get you out of here, Lori...you'll give me the antidote?" Lydecker didn't seem convinced. The vein in his jaw throbbed with anger.  
  
Lori nodded. "If you save us, I will save you. I swear that much, Deck. Now, are you going to help us?"   
  
Lydecker sighed. "What choice do I have?"  
  
Lori removed the gun from Nick's hand. "You won't need that. If he tries anything, he's going to suffer a fate worse than death."  
  
Nick frowned at his wife. "Don't you think this is a little...well, harsh?"  
  
"Harsh? Nick, after what that man has done to us...I don't think anything I could do to him would be 'harsh'. Besides, we don't have time to argue right now. We need to get moving."  
  
Nick sighed. "I know you're right, Baby...but can I just have one more minute?" He asked with his best puppy dog look.  
  
Lori tried unsuccessfully to look annoyed. She couldn't hide her smile. "One minute. Starting now." She was caught completely off guard when he closed the distance between them. His muscular arms encircled her small waist, bringing her own body as close to his as humanly possibly. He stared down at her face for just a second before he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.  
  
During his two year absence, Lori had dreamed of his kisses. But, even she hadn't remembered them as being quite this passionate. She could have melted right there. When neither one of them could continue for lack of air, he pulled his head away. He did not, however, let her go.   
  
"I've been waiting two years to do that." He whispered, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I love you, Loren."  
  
RX groaned. "Man! Get a room already! Max and Logan are probably being tortured by Ratboy and you two are in here making out!"  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow. "You adopted this kid?"  
  
"It seemed like the thing to do at the time." Lori answered with a shrug.  
  
"And, I suppose you're against leaving him here?"  
  
"We really shouldn't. It wouldn't be fair to Manticore."   
  
"I heard that." RX muttered angrily. "God help me, I'm going to have to live with *two* of them now."  
  
Lydecker glared at the trio. "If we're going to get you out of here, we're going to need a plan."  
  
Lori caught Nick's eye as she giggled. "Of course, we always need a plan..."  
  
"And, I think I've got one." RX concluded. "Listen to this and tell me if it isn't ingenius..."  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  


  
  
  
  
  
  



	23. The Trials of Job--2018

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  
_

**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**2018**  


  
  
Lori lay awake staring at the ceiling of her dark, lonely bedroom. Almost nine months into her pregnancy, she had few sleeping options open except laying on her back. That is, if you could call what Lori was doing sleep. She spent most nights, between her frequent trips to the bathroom, praying that Nick would make it home before the baby was born. She wasn't sure how he would react when he did come home. Instead of returning to the slim, petite woman he'd been married to for years, he would be returning to a woman only weeks from delivering her first child. If he didn't make it home by the delivery, he'd be returning to a child he didn't even know he had.  
  
She laughed to herself and placed a hand on her swollen stomach. "Do you think you can hang on for a while longer, little one? Or, do you want to give Daddy a surprise when he comes home?"   
  
Ring! The phone startled Lori. With several minor curses, she managed to push herself up and retreive the receiver. "Hello, Dr. Davis here." She tried not to sound tired. The baby hadn't even been born yet, and she was already bushed.  
  
"Lori."  
  
"Oh my God!" Lori's heart quickened with excitement. He was coming home. He had to be coming home! No, wait. If he were coming home, he would be there already.  
  
"The prodigal son, no?"  
  
"What...Where are you?"  
  
"They're on to me, Loren. I don't know how much longer I can run."  
  
"Then come home for God's sake." Her voice shook with emotion. "You swore you'd come home. You promised me you wouldn't get yourself killed. Dammit! I'm not going to let you die. You can't! We don't have to stay in Seattle. We can leave. We can go anywhere you want. Just come home, please!" They couldn't catch him. They couldn't. How could she hope to raise this child on her own? How could she save him when she was slowed by a pregnancy or a newborn? A sob rose in her throat. Life wasn't fair.  
  
"I can't, not yet."  
  
"But, if they catch you..." Her voice cracked.  
  
"I'll deal with it. What's the worst they can do, kill me?" He laughed wryly.  
  
"It's not funny. You don't know what they'll do to you. It could be..." Again her voice cracked. She couldn't lose him. She couldn't!   
  
"I love you, Lori. You have to know that. I love you more than anything in this world. You remember that Orpheus story you read me?"  
  
"Yes." She answered softly, afraid of the direction this conversation was taking.  
  
"He went to Underworld to get his wife back, didn't he? Well, I'd be more than willing to do that for you. I'd go to Hell and back for one night with you Lori, you have to know that."  
  
She sobbed again. "I love you, too. But, honey, Orpheus didn't get his wife back. He lost her." Lori paused, her throat clenching. There was no sound from the other end of the phone, only silence. "Nick! Nick! Come back, please! Oh God, make him come back!" She was overcome by hysterics as the meaning of that silence struck her. He was dead. Her husband was probably lying dead on the floor of the phone booth.  
  
Her heart-wrenching sobs were interrupted by a violent stab of pain through her abdomen. Lori whimpered and groped for the phone. Somehow, she managed to phone an ambulance.  
  
The paramedics tried desperately to calm her as they took her to the nearest hospital. Nothing seemed to be working, and they couldn't sedate a pregnant woman during labor.  
  
The doctors were waiting when she arrived at the hospital. They worked tirelessly to calm and comfort Loren as they helped her through her labor. With one final push, Lori relaxed back against the pillow. Her hair was matted to her forehead with sweat, the fatigue and grief were intense...still, there was an excitement in her voice as she asked, "Boy or girl?"  
  
The doctor remained silent. He simply stared at the infant in his hands with a world of sadness in his eyes. She knew what that meant, even before he spoke. Fate was saddistic. Her hysterical sobs started up again as the doctor signaled at a nurse to sedate her. She was just beginning to feel the effects of the drug when the physician found the courage to explain. "Dr. Davis, your baby was still born."  
  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com


	24. The Great Escape--2020

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
**2020**  


  
Logan gritted his teeth as the next wave of electricity passed through his body. He had to keep a strong face. Max couldn't let Manticore know where any of the others were. If she thought he was breaking...she just might tell. Mercifully, the sound of the door opening forced his tormenter to disconnect the flow.  
  
"Your relieved of duty. I'm going to take over from here." Lydecker's voice interrupted. Logan propped himself up enough to see their familiar adversary standing in the doorway with two uniform clad soldiers behind him. They were probably X4s or X5s. He could surmise that much from their dark uniforms and hats pulled down over their heads. Logan squinted at the smaller of the two. She looked familiar, but from this distance who could really tell?  
  
The men seemed annoyed with the interruption but made room for their superior and his entourage. The smaller of the soldiers moved forward quickly, seemingly to check Max's restraints. As she bent over to pull them tighter, she pressed her lips to Max's ear. "Shh. Don't let on its me." Lori whispered. "I need you to trust me, Max. I'm going to get you out of here. But, you have to trust me. You have to tell Lydecker that you know where the other X5s are."  
  
Max glanced at Lori out of the corner of her eye. Trust her? She expected trust after everything she'd done? Still, she couldn't forget the woman's grief over her husband...her husband! Max's eyes flew to the door and the man still positioned there. For a second, she was sure she saw the X4 wink at her. Max gave a small, imperceptible nod.  
  
"Sir, permission to speak freely?" Nick asked.  
  
Lydecker frowned and turned around to face the soldier. "Permission granted, 316."  
  
"I don't think she's going to tell us where the others are unless we hold true to our threat."  
  
Lydecker ruminated over this for a moment and nodded. "Why don't you show her how serious we are, 316?"  
  
Nick removed the sidearm from his holster and took up a position by Logan's head. He cocked the pistol and pressed the cold steele against Logan's temple.  
  
Max struggled against her bonds with a bevy of curses. Nick watched her with amusement and began to quietly countdown from ten. At three, Max finally broke. "All right, Deck. I'll tell you where they are...under one condition."  
  
"I don't think you're in any position to be bargaining, 452." Lydecker observed with a sneer.  
  
"Do you want to know where they are or not?"  
  
"Fine. 452, what do you want for them?"  
  
"You have to let him go."  
  
"Done." Lydecker waved a hand at Nick who began removing the electrodes and restraints. "As soon as I have the X5s, you're little friend is free to go. Now, where are they?"  
  
"I'm going to have to show you. If they see you coming, they're going to scatter." Max declared with confidence. She could see the glimmer in Lori's eyes. Apparently, this was exactly what they'd been hoping for.  
  
Lydecker hesistated. "All right, but if you try anything, he dies."  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Nick hurriedly pushed Logan down the hallway. They were going to be cutting it close. He swung the wheelchair around the corner and ran straight into an officer.  
  
"What are you doing with that man, 452?"  
  
Nick saluted and stood rigidly in position. "Taking him to the infirmary, Sir. 452 gave up her information. We have to keep this man healthy until the X5s are returned."  
  
"A bargaining tool?"  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"Carry on."   
  
Nick breathed a sigh of relief as he continued down the hallway. Now, if RX was doing his part....  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

The teenager sat perched in the cargo bay of the small military transport with a purloined laptop in front of him. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he rerouted the security feed from the video cameras in the hallway. "It's sure a good thing that all these hallways look the same." He muttered as he continued to reek havoc.   
  
RX was carefully mixing the screens so that it appeared as if Nick was taking Logan to the infirmary. When, in reality, he was heading straight for the underground tunnel to the airstrip. So long as he wasn't questioned by any other passers by, they were home free.   
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Fifteen feet. Just fifteen feet. Logan watched the end of the tunnel nervously. Only fifteen more feet and they were on the runway. Could it really be this easy?  
  
"Stop!"   
  
Nick cursed and began to walk faster.  
  
"I said stop! This is a restricted area! X4-316, stop!"  
  
Nick pulled the gun from his holster and stared ahead at the guard blocking the doorway. "How many times do I have to tell you people, my name is Nick?" He shouted back as he fired one clean shot through the man's right forearm. The guard's gun crashed to the floor as the muscle in his arm was shredded. He screamed with pain and gripped the bloody appendage. His wound was sufficient enough to render him incapable of stopping the X4 and his companion. One quick fist to the head, and the pathetic guard was out cold.   
  
Nick bolted out the door, sure that he could already hear the reinforcements following him. He spotted the military transport at the head of the runway. Max and Lori had already taken up positions by the door, semi-automatic assault rifles at the ready. Lori grinned at her husband and winked as she picked off one of the guards behind him. They could only come out the door one at a time, and that was going to make them easy pickings for the two women guarding the plane.  
  
Max looked approvingly at the man on the pavement by the door. "Nice shot."  
  
"Thanks." Lori blushed. "Nick thought it would be wise if I learned how to use a gun." She explained as Max shot the next two who emerged from the exit.  
  
"He must be a good teacher."  
  
"The best."  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lori made her way to the back of the plane. "Come on, Nick. Everyone's strapped in and ready to go."  
  
Nick nodded, removing a grenade from his pocket. Swiftly, he pulled the pin and tossed it towards the exit. "Tell them to start 'er up. I'm going to make sure they can't use this runway and follow us."  
  
Lori nodded and jogged back to the cockpit.   
  
No sooner had the plane started to accelerate, then Nick had pulled out yet another grenade and thrown it towards the beginning of the runway. The result was a mangled piece of macadam which would make lift off virtually impossible. He grunted as he pulled the plane door closed and locked it securely. "Let's get out of here." He called.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Lori leaned her head back against the seat of the plane. She could feel two years worth of fatigue catching up with her.   
  
"Hey, baby." Nick had been running through a few final aspects of their escape with RX. They needed to cover their trail.  
  
Lori smiled, although she didn't open her eyes. "I'm afraid to go to sleep, Nick. I keep thinking that if I do...this will all turn out to be a dream."  
  
Nick sat down next to her, rubbing her arm gently. "It isn't a dream, Love. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Pinch me?" She asked in a soft tone.  
  
"I'll do you one better." He whispered back with an evil grin. Before she could protest, he'd pulled her into his lap and engaged her in another passionate kiss. "There," He brushed his lips against her forehead. "You see, it isn't a dream."  
  
Lori sighed contentedly. "Don't let go." She pleaded. "Could you just hold me a for a little while?"  
  
"Anything, Baby."  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Max watched the scene play out and glanced at the man in the seat beside her. "I hate to say this, but it might have actually been worth it."  
  
Logan nodded his agreement. "Just watching those two together...its easy to see how much they love each other." He paused. "I don't know how they surived the last two years..." He didn't voice the comment which followed in his mind. He'd barely survived two days without Max. Had that been her...  
  
She gave him a sidelong glance. She knew what he'd wanted to say, even if he hadn't said it.  
  


_X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4*X4  
  
_

Nick turned Lori's face up to his. "I have to confess, I'm surprised at the way you handled Lydecker. I didn't think you had it in you."  
  
Lori giggled into his shirt. "I still don't. That wasn't Lethe. It was saline solution. His memory is safe. He's my godfather, Nick. I knew him well enough to know that the threat would be enough to corral him into obedience. Besides, he'll have Manticore waiting at my house for us when we get off this plane. He doesn't need an antidote, so we're not going back."  
  
"Where are we going, then?"  
  
"Where ever you want. As long as you're here with me, my Orpheus, I'm in Paradise."  
  


Stay tuned for more.....And don't forget to post a review.   
If you would like to contact me..don't hesitate to email me at Ottiga@aol.com  


  
  
  
  
  



	25. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters do not belong to me. I do not use them for personal financial gain, only for my own and others' online entertainment. Please do not reproduce this work in anyway without my permission, since the new characters and plot are mine. If you would like this story for an archive or other online source, please email me for permission prior to posting.  
  


**Cruel Twists of Fate**  
Epilogue  
  


  
"Colonel Lydecker, what do you have to say for yourself."  
  
"Nothing, Sir."  
  
"Then, what is keeping us from terminating you right now."  
  
"This is one failure, Sir. I lost the doctor and the X4, but I believe I helped you attain something much more valuable."  
  
"The child?"  
  
"You wouldn't have even known there was one if I hadn't told you about her, Sir. At two, she's already testing far beyond the IQs of such geniuses as Einstein with all the physical capabilities of an X4. She's everything we estimated she would be...and more."  
  
"What's to stop the doctor and X4 from coming after their child?"  
  
"They believe she's dead, Sir."  
  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say the same thing about 316?"  
  
"This is different, Sir. Dr. Davis has no idea that the baby she delivered two years ago was not the baby she burried."  
  
"You better pray she never finds out the truth."  
  
"She won't, Sir. She and her husband are long gone. We've seen the last of them. I guarantee it."  
  
  


The Beginning  


  
Author's Note:  
  
Phew! Finally finished. So, what did you think? Please review the story and give me your thoughts. I would love to know what you thought about my characters and plot line. As you can see, I left plenty of room for a sequel. That is, of course, if you think this story warrants a sequel. Let me know! I would love to extend Lori, Nick, and RX's adventures past one novella. However, I will only do that if there's someone out there to read it!  
  
Thank you for taking the time to read and review this story. I appreciate it. I only hope you got half as much enjoyment out of reading it as I did out of writing it.  
  
Love always,   
Bethan Davis  
  
  



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